


The Final Save

by Calliopes_Quill



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Magic, Monster-Phobia, Mostly Platonic, PTSD Sans, Possible future Sans/OC, Post-Pacifist Route, Slow Burn, Timeline Drama, fandom references, mention of PTSD, mention of past depression, monster racism
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-07
Updated: 2018-02-03
Packaged: 2018-05-25 09:04:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 80,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6188440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Calliopes_Quill/pseuds/Calliopes_Quill
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Mt Ebott opened up and the Monsters returned to the world, nobody was quite prepared for it. The world had been polarized, some all for welcoming the Monsters into the modern world while others wanted to send them back where they came from or exterminated all together. Cooler heads prevailed for now but things were far from ideal. Negotiations for the rights of Monsters were still underway, the use of magic a particular sticking point.</p><p>Still not a week goes by without some kind of violence done against Monsters or their property, and when their housing complex is a victim of Arson, few are willing to step up and take in the displaced residents. </p><p>Madison Taylor grew up with tales of magic so when the call went out for hosts she signed up immediately. Now she's rooming with a pair of magical skeletons and her whole life has turned on its head. Magic has returned to the human world at last and maybe, just maybe, they may be able to restore the one person that could not be saved.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In Which We Meet Our Heroine

**Author's Note:**

> Hey Everybody! Welcome to my first (posted) fic! First I've written for Undertale (which is the most brilliant game ever) but I've been writing for about twelve years now. I hope you enjoy it. If you do, please leave me a comment and I will be sure to update when I have more chapters completed.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Undertale or any of its characters, concepts, or designs. Toby Fox does and I bow before his awesomeness. I also do not own RWBY, Kamisama Hajimemashita, or Tangled, which I also reference in this chapter.

Chapter 1: In Which We Meet Our Heroine

Life, Maddie thought to herself as she sank down onto the couch in front of the television, sure could surprise you sometimes. She’d thought she’d known what to expect, and then the mountain opened up and a bunch of monsters wandered on out. Not stampeded, not invaded. Wandered. Led by a kid in a striped sweater. Who was now their official ambassador. 

Yeah...the world was weird sometimes.

Things had gone pretty much as expected since then. The world had been polarized, some all for welcoming the Monsters into the modern world. Others wanted to send them back where they came from. Fear and ignorance had the worst of the lot crying out for them to be registered, put in camps, or exterminated all together. Cooler heads prevailed for now but things were far from ideal. Negotiations for the rights of Monsters were still underway, the use of magic a particular sticking point.

Magic. Real, actual magic. There were days that Maddie still couldn’t quite believe it. But there it was, walking down the street in its furry, crazy, sometimes multi-armed glory. And it was wonderful. 

It’s a shame not everyone thought so. Hardly a couple weeks went by when there wasn’t some report of some sort of vandalism or violence against a monster or their property.

Speaking of… She turned her attention back to the news report, her forkful of browned potatoes freezing halfway to her mouth.

“Fire crews were called last night to a condo complex at the edge of the city in the latest of incidents to affect the Monster-run residence. The fire began in the early hours of the morning, sending residents running from their homes. Nobody was injured but arson was believed to have been a factor. Investigators are requesting that anyone with any information please call the TroubleHunters hotline at 555-TIPS--”

Maddie almost threw the remote at the TV in disgust. What the hell kind of person would do something like that to a bunch of innocent people? Sure they were Monsters but why did that have to matter? They were still people. Couldn’t they see this was just history repeating itself? Concentration camps in World War II, race riots in the ‘60s. Why did people have to be this way? Why couldn’t they just -- okay so ‘hug it out’ was a bit of a cliche but what was wrong with that? 

The news report the next night was not any more favourable. The complex had sustained heavy damage both from the fire and the water used to put it out. Residents would not be able to return for several months. The municipality was requesting that residents of the city who would be willing to host some of the displaced Monsters call them to make arrangements.

The moment she heard Maddie picked up her phone and called her landlord. “Hey Duane, I’ve got a favour to ask.”

 

The process was...okay it was a travesty. Maddie was sure she could have said she intended to skin whatever Monsters they gave her and wear them as a suit and the officials still would have signed off on it. They just wanted to get the freaks out of their hair. All they wanted to know was how many she was willing to host and if her landlord had given written permission for it. Duane, being an old SCA buddy of hers, hadn’t said boo about it. Well, he had, in a series of ghost-related jokes that were in no way malicious. He had happily provided the written permission and offered to put together a supplementary rental agreement for whomever would be staying with her. 

The woman she spoke to, a reedy creature in a boxy deep blue suit, eyed her speculatively. “Would you be open to taking on a family, of sorts? We’ve got two here, brothers, that we’ve been having trouble placing.”

“Sure,” she shrugged. No reason to separate them if she already had the room, right? “Why have you had trouble placing them?”

“There haven’t been many people willing to board more than one,” the woman admitted. “Actually...you would be the first.”

Maddie fought manfully not to roll her eyes. She failed utterly. “That’s ridiculous. They’re just people.”

“Some families just don’t have the extra space,” the woman pointed out diplomatically.

But they both knew the truth. It wasn’t the room in their homes that were lacking but room in their hearts. 

“So what can you tell me about these brothers?”

 

It would take a couple of days to finalize the arrangements. There would be negotiations with the insurance company and other complicated crap that Maddie was glad she did not have to deal with. As it was there was a small mountain of paperwork. Insurance forms and disclaimers and a special form stating that she gave her houseguests permission to use magic while they stayed with her. That one she signed without a second thought because hell yes magic. 

With her soul essentially signed away Maddie left the municipal office and turned towards home. 

She really couldn’t help stopping at the bookstore on the way. Being an utter bibliophile and not caring who knew it, she was a regular at the establishment and had even worked there through her university years. And okay, old habits died hard and it wasn’t unusual to see her starting conversations with other random people in the store and recommending books to them. 

But you’re going to be good this time, she reminded herself as she parked her car in the lot and made her way inside. No ambushing. And you’re only coming in to see what’s new. Then you can download them to -- holy shit a dragon. Well, okay, not a dragon as they didn’t appear to have wings but a Drake of some sort certainly. Or a dinosaur? They were maybe a foot shorter than her in height and covered in golden yellow scales. A long white coat covered them from neck to ankle, a pair of wire rimmed glasses perched on their nose. And they were reading manga. Maddie’s inner nerd shrieked rainbows of joy. 

Do not ambush. Do not ambush. Do not -- ooh hey the new Kamisama Hajimemashita is out. Do not ambush. Do not ambush. “That’s a good series. Mew Mew Kissy Cutie volume 5 is one of my favourites.” God damn it Maddie!”

“W-what?” The little drake started, jerking back in surprise. “O-oh. Y-yes. It’s a g-good s-series. I-I didn’t r-realize t-there was s-so much o-out.” Her collection was patchy at best, made up of whatever she could find that had found its way to the underground. And now there were three whole seasons! Three!

“I’m glad the artist kept going with the series. She went on hiatus for a while and bounced around with a few one-shots but this one is totally the best,” Maddie told her. “Ooh if you like this, have you watched RWBY yet?”

“R-RWBY?” She -- going by the voice, definitely a ‘she’ -- “N-no n-not yet.”

“It’s pretty cool. Done by a group called Rooster Teeth. They just finished volume three. Fantasy creatures, awesome soundtrack, and the combo weapons are just cool. The main girl’s scythe doubles as a sniper rifle.”

“I-I think m-my g-girlfriend would l-love it,” she smiled. “T-thank you. I-I’m A-Alphys, b-by the w-way.” She held out one small, clawed hand to shake. 

Maddie beamed back, shaking her hand enthusiastically. “Maddie. Well, Madison, but the only person who calls me that is my grandma.”

“N-nice to m-meet you, M-Maddie.”

“You too, Alphys,” she grinned. “So what other series are you and your girlfriend into?”

They were big into the Sword & Sorcery genre, which Maddie found particularly fitting especially once Alphys told her that her girlfriend had been Captain of the Royal Guard. Alphys herself was the Royal Scientist. The two of them were living on the university campus now, not due to the fire at the monster condo but because of an unfortunate cooking incident that occurred when Undyne, the girlfriend, had been making dinner. It was for the best anyway, or so Alphys said. They had a lot more space now and she was close to her lab. 

“Well that’s handy at least. I bet your work is miles ahead of what they’ve been working on.”

“N-not e-exactly,” Alphys demurred, her cheeks blushing a light pink. “Just d-different. M-mixing m-magic and science isn’t r-really d-done on the s-surface.”

“Probably because most people here didn’t believe in magic anymore until the mountain opened up,” Maddie commented wryly. “Whatever skill humans had in magic was lost so long ago the rest of us treat it as a myth. Which, considering the state of the world right now, is probably for the best.” 

“P-probably…”

“Still, be cool to see more magical integration into society,” Maddie mused. “People just have to stop being such buttheads about it.” 

Alphys gave a nervous chuckled but whatever she was about to say was cut off as ‘Mother Knows Best’ from Tangled started blaring from Maddie’s phone. 

Maddie cringed, quickly pulling her phone from her pocket and hitting ‘ignore’. “Sorry about that. The Motherbeast calleth. It’s okay. She’ll call back later.”

“Y-you call your m-mother ‘the m-mother-b-beast’?” 

She shrugged sheepishly. “You’d be surprised how apt the term is sometimes. I mean she’s my mom and I love her but she can also be kind of the bane of my life. Which is a little too much to get into considering we just met. Sorry about that. You want to hang out sometime? Maybe grab coffee or something?”

“R-really?” Alphys blinked then smiled shyly. “I-I’d like that.”

“Cool!” She grinned. “Okay contacts….add… phone number?” The little drake stammered out the number. Maddie repeated it before saving the new contact. “Cool! Some time next week work?”

“Y-yeah, that w-would be g-great.”

“Cool,” she repeated, then sighed as ‘Mother Knows Best’ started playing again. “And there goes the bell for round two.”

“Y-you should p-probably g-get that,” Alphys chuckled. “I h-have to be g-going a-anyway. I-it was n-nice m-meeting you.”

“You too Alphys.” Steeling herself, Maddie accepted the call, silencing the song. “Hey Mom, how’s it going?”

 

Well...that call could have gone better. It could have been worse -- they’d definitely had worse conversations in the past -- but it could could have gone a lot better. The usual guilt trips for moving out, the not-so-subtle dig that, now that her roommates had moved out and gotten engaged, that she should just move back home. Never mind that she was twenty-seven years old. She should just stay home, where her mom could take care of her forever. What might have possessed her to tell her mother that she had new room-mates, a pair of monsters, moving in with her in the next few days, she didn’t know. Actually...possession might explain it. 

Of course she’d had to leave the store, fighting to keep her voice even in the face of her mother’s histrionics. Because God forbid she act like a reasonable human being in the face of this information. Oh no, as far as she was concerned these monsters were going to devour Maddie in her bed. She didn’t even bother to point out her mom’s unfortunate choice of phrasing. All she could do was roll her eyes and point out that no monster on the surface had so much as harmed a hair on a kitten’s head, let alone a person’s. If they hadn’t eaten the kid who was their ambassador, they probably weren’t going to be eating her. 

She was going to have to keep her family far, far away from her apartment for the next while. Her dad...well he might be reasonable. He was certainly the most stable of her parents so aside from concerns about having strange males living with her, regardless of the species, he might actually be okay with the whole arrangement. 

Good thing being an adult and living on her own meant her parents’ opinions didn’t have to matter as much anymore.

“Well mom if they do eat me I promise you can have first dibs on saying ‘I told you so’,” Maddie sighed, fighting the urge to beat her head against her steering wheel. “Look I’m meeting a friend for coffee in a moment. I’ve got to go.” Liar, liar. “Love you too. See you later.” 

Dear...God… See this, this is why she moved out. She loved her mom -- of course she did -- but the longer she stayed there the more she felt herself being stripped away. Everything she did seemed to have her mother’s stamp on it, from the way she dressed to the way she spoke. She remembered, when she let herself, that she’d been as shallow as a puddle and with about as much substance. It had been the work of three years to get to where she was and there were still times where she questioned if she was slipping. 

So she couldn’t give in to her mother’s wishes, no matter how badly the part of her that yearned for approval begged to. She’d finally started to figure out who she really was. She couldn’t go back to the way she was before. It was a matter of integrity, hard-won as it had been. 

It was about doing what was right.


	2. In Which We Wonder How Skeletons Play Brass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enter the skelebros!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi again! Thanks so much for reading my fic! As of this moment I've got 60 people who have read the first chapter! And to all of you who sent Kudo's, an extra thank you to you. It's because of all of you wonderful people that I have decided to keep posting this fic. 
> 
> As always, I don't own Undertale or any of its associated characters, nor any other series that I have referenced that I forgot to mention here. 
> 
> Also if there is anything that I have made a mistake on, please let me know!

 

 

 

 

**Chapter 2: In Which We Wonder How Skeletons Play Brass**

The call came later than she would have liked but it was nice to have some notice. As it was the sound of her phone ringing shocked her out of a sound sleep. She jolted upright, scrabbling for the phone.

 

“Ah...hello?” She managed.  _ Yay, coherent at...okay it’s one… who is calling me at one in the morning? _

 

_ “Mizz Daylor?”  _ Came the stuffy voice from the other end of the line.  _ “Iz Jenny Carol from Ebod Elebendary.” _

 

Ebott Elementary, Maddie translated. Jenny Carol; early forties, greying blonde hair, taught fourth grade.  “Hey Jenny. You don’t sound so hot.”

 

_ “I’b sorry to wake you ub like dis bud would you be able to take by class tomorrow?” _

 

“Sure,” she answered, running one hand distractedly through the tangle of her hair. She could spend a day or two with the fourth/graders. They were just so cute at that age! “You squared it with the principal?”

 

_ “Yeah. Left a message on his machine. I’ll ebail you da curriculum for da day.” _

 

“Thanks Jenny. Feel better.”

 

_ “Please God…” _

 

Maddie sighed, hanging up the phone. Well, the advantage of running her own business is she could pick her own hours and take a day away from it if she chose, something she often did when she got called in to substitute teach. She didn’t mind it. Actually she loved teaching, just not enough to do it full-time, and staying on the sub list help supplement her income and even add a bit to her vacation fund. 

 

_ Well… so much for sleeping in _ , she thought, setting an alarm to wake her up in time to get ready for class the next morning. 

  
  
  
  


_ Good Morning Maddie, _

 

_ Thank you again for taking my class today. I’ve attached the curriculum for the next couple of days, in case I am not able to come in tomorrow. _

 

_ Also I thought I should let you know that I do have a child in the class, Frisk Dreemurr, who communicates predominantly through ASL. They are a very sweet and intelligent child and is a favourite among their classmates. You should have no problems from them but I thought I would let you know. _

 

_ Thanks again! _

 

_ Jenny _

  
  
  
  
  


Frisk Dreemurr, Maddie mused. The name sounded familiar. Where had she heard that name before? Frowning, she looked up the class register. The pictures showed a sweet-faced child with page cut brown hair. Oh this face she certainly new. 

 

As it turned out, Frisk Dreemurr was the ambassador to the Monsters, the adopted child of the Queen.

 

_ Couldn’t have mentioned that at any point, could you Jenny? _

 

Smiling wryly, Maddie shook her head. Well, this was going to be an interesting day.

  
  
  
  


The class was a motley bunch. That was to be expected with a school that had the Queen of Monsters as its assistant principal. Twenty-odd human children of about eight years of age sat in a room with a handful of Monster children. There was a sweet little bunny girl named Daisy, a green-skinned boy called Beech (a dryad or something? Were male dryads a thing?), and a tiny reptilian creature with no arms whose name was, no kidding, MonsterKid. His friends called him MK.

 

_ No points for creativity awarded there. _

 

And in the center of it all was Frisk. Quiet -- of course they were, they didn’t speak -- but far from withdrawn. Quite the contrary, in fact. They signed enthusiastically to their classmates, who seemed in general to understand what they were trying to say. What a great group of kids was this to learn signs so they could communicate. And there was no division to be seen between the human children and the monsters. Idiocy like that was reserved for closed-minded adults.

 

When the bell rang the children scattered to their desks. Maddie gave the sleeve of her russet-coloured jacket an absent tug then took her place in front of them.

 

“Good morning, class,” she said with a bright smile. “My name is Miss Taylor.” God, it still felt weird to call herself that. She was happier being just ‘Maddie’. “Mrs Carol is out sick so I will be taking over the class today. Now, she tells me you guys are working on your times tables.”

 

Oh they were just so cute with their bright, shiny faces and gap-toothed smiles and scraped knees. Maddie just wanted to snuggle all of them. And it was just so fascinating to watch them work. Heads bowed over their papers, pencils clutched in their little hands -- or mouths, in MK’s case -- as they worked on the timed challenges that Maddie had printed off for them. So determined. 

 

This was why she loved subbing in elementary schools. This was where it all started, the years where the identity of the child began to solidify into the people that they would eventually become. Where they discovered the passions that would drive them. The little boy sketching figures in the sand with a stick might be the next star of the art world. The little girl standing up to the playground bully might become a police officer. 

 

And some...some started on their paths earlier than others. What would Frisk become, Maddie wondered, glancing up from her phone timer. Just eight years old and already the ambassador between the humans and monsters. Would they always consider to be so? Where might that take them as monsters integrated throughout the world? What might they have done with their lives if their path had not taken them up the mountain? 

 

It was a curious thing how the decisions of one small child had changed the face of the entire world. Something to remember when she was feeling alone and insignificant. 

 

Her phone let out a cheerful beep. “Alright everyone, pencils down. That means you, Mark. Now trade with your desk partner. For every ten questions you get right…” She paused, pulling a bag of hard candies from her purse. “You get one of these.”

 

A cheer went out across the class. Maddie grinned. The same tactics had worked brilliantly on her own classes when she was a kid. It was nice to see some things did not change.

 

“Okay, ready? Question one--”

  
  
  
  
  
  


The advantage to owning your own business, Maddie often thought, was that you could choose your own hours. That often worked against her as often as it worked for her, particularly when she was working on a commission deadline. This time, however, it meant that she could take a day off when she wanted to. When she received the confirmation regarding her new roommates she decided to take the day to help them move in.

 

_ Sans and Papyrus… I wonder what kind of people they are. _ She thought to herself as she made her way down the stairs. The information she had been given was… pretty useless, actually. She wasn’t sure if it was because nobody asked any questions or the brothers refused to answer them. All she knew is that they were skeletons, and that one of them was really fond of pasta. Not exactly helpful, except in terms of her initial grocery run. 

 

They wouldn’t even given her a contact phone number. God forbid she actually get to know these people before they came to live with her. 

 

Too late now. At least if the snappy red convertible that pulled up in front of the building was any indication.

  
  
  
  


“BROTHER, LOOK! THAT MUST BE THE HUMAN!”

 

“Looks like.” She was the only person standing outside and this was the correct address. He wasn’t entirely sure what he had expected. They weren’t exactly given much in the way of information. Actually they were given nothing but the address and a name; Madison Taylor. 

 

She was...kind of tall? Tall enough for a human girl -- woman? A couple of inches taller than him anyway, he thought. Her bright copper hair was tied back in a long, loosely curling tail that trailed over the shoulder of her russet-coloured tee-shirt. She looked….normal. 

 

Papyrus pulled into the parking stall across from the door and turned off the ignition. The girl approached them as they opened the doors. 

 

“Ah...hey!” She smiled, jogging up to them. “Sans and Papyrus, right? I’m Maddie. It’s nice to meet you.”

 

“IT IS A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU, HUMAN!”  Papyrus declared, shaking her hand enthusiastically. “I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, AM HONOURED THAT YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO SHARE YOUR HOME WITH US!”

 

“It’s my pleasure, Papyrus. I only wish it had been under better circumstances.” Geez he was tall, easily six feet. A giant skeleton towering over her should have been intimidating, even if he was wearing a crop top and small shorts… Sure it was only September but it wasn’t that warm out… But he was the farthest thing from it, more like an excited golden retriever than the big scary monster her mom was envisioning.

 

“You and me both, kid.” Sans shrugged, fighting a grin as he took the hand she offered. The moment their hands clasped a flatulent sound filled the parking lot and he howled with laughter as his brother let out a sound of dismay.

 

“SANS, DO NOT PLAY SUCH JOKES ON OUR HOST!”

 

“Sorry, couldn't resist,” he shrugged, displaying the joke device strapped to his bony hand. “But it is a classic.”

 

“No problem,” Maddie grinned back. “I found it pretty  _ humerus _ .”

 

The shorter skeleton stared as his brother groaned. “Was that--?”

 

“Ah...maybe?” A deep blush rose in her cheeks, dark enough to conceal the smattering of freckles dusted across them. “Sorry, that was probably… Kinda rude. Sorry.”

 

“No worries,” Sans chuckled. “Nice to see I'm not the only one here with a funny bone.”

 

“NO MORE PUNS, PLEASE BROTHER!”

 

“Sorry bro.”

 

Maddie snickered. Life with these guys for roommates was going to be fun. “So, ah… Moving in. Is the truck coming or -- oh, was your unit one of the ones that burned? I'm sorry. They wouldn't give me any information so I didn't know if I should track down any extra furniture or--”

 

“Nah, we got lucky. Little smoke damage was all.” Thank the heavens. They’d taken what they could from the house in Snowdin. It wasn't that much he supposed but they were attached to what they had. “Truck was behind us but got caught at the train on fifth. They’ll call when they're close.”

 

“Oh thank goodness,” she sighed in relief. “While we wait… Want to see the apartment?”

 

“YES! LEAD ON, KIND HUMAN!”

 

Playing along Maddie executed a theatrical bow. “Right this way, good sirs.”

  
  


The first impression they had was one of space. The living room was wide and open, with an L-shaped black leather couch and loveseat forming a seating area that faced the entertainment center. The mottled red brickwork was visible against the far and left-hand walls, pristine enough for him to pick out that it was a design feature instead of a sign of disrepair. Three tall bar stools faced the kitchen island, the dining table tucked just under the nearby window. Though the furniture itself was dark woods and metals, she had brightened it up with jewel coloured curtains and a couple of richly patterned throws to contrast with the cream of the remaining walls. 

 

“The bedrooms are on the left,” Maddie was explaining. “”I’ve got the master. I tend to do most of my work in there but sometimes I do bring stuff out into the living room when I need the space.”

 

“So uh...what is it that you do?”

 

“Seamstress,” she answered in an offhand voice. “I run my own business here. Mostly accessories, sometimes costumes for cosplayer or SCA buddies. The occasional substitute teaching job on the side. You guys want something to drink while we wait for the truck? Got about a hundred different kinds of tea, orange juice… no coffee I’m afraid.”

 

“OH TEA PLEASE!” Papyrus burst out. “I LOVE TEA! I DRINK IT ALL THE TIME AFTER MY COOKING LESSONS WITH UNDYNE!”

 

“You cook? Well that’s going to make life a lot easier.” Especially as she wasn’t really looking forward to suddenly cooking for three all the time. “We can make arrangements regarding that later. Tea’s in the top cupboard on the left.” She gestured vaguely. “Mugs are on the right by the stove. Help yourselves to whatever. If we run out of something, there’s a notepad on the fridge, so just add it to the list. I tend to go once a week but if you happen to go on your own, keep the receipts and we can tally up rent costs at the end of the month.”

As Papyrus ooh’ed and ah’d over the tea selection Sans kept an eye on their host. She bustled around the kitchen, filling the kettle and chattering on about the apartment. Nerves? It could be. Most people in town were leery about accepting one monster into their home, let alone two, but she had invited them to stay and didn’t seem to be regretting it so far. 

 

_ Why are you doing this? _

 

“Pardon?”

 

Crap, he’d said it aloud. Well, might as well get it out of the way before the unpacking started. Sans cleared his throat, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his hoodie. “Why invite us to stay?”

 

“Sans! You are being rude!” His brother hissed.

 

Blue eyes blinked in surprise, then she smiled. “Because you needed it. I know they had you put up at a hotel but you’d have been out of your place for months before they could assess and repair the damage. That’s hardly any way to live.”

 

There were worse ways. “Most people would be a little hesitant about letting a couple of monsters stay with them.”

 

Maddie shrugged. “I don’t know about most people, but I don’t see the problem. Monster or human, blood and bone or magic and whatever, we’re all still people. And frankly anyone who does have a problem with it can get stuffed.”

 

Sans snorted. It was a nice sentiment. Maybe a little naive, but nice. “That’s it?”

 

“That’s it.” She leaned back against the counter, hooking her thumbs in the belt loops of her jeans. “Given the asshats out there, I don’t blame you for being suspicious, but let me tell you a few things about me: I’m twenty-seven years old. Until recently I lived with roommates, but then they decided to get married and a couple of months ago they put a down payment on a small house. I’ve lived on my own since then and haven’t really enjoyed it. I like being around people so living on my own is kind of a bummer. I was about to start the search for new roomies when the call went out about hosts. I don’t care that you’re monsters. Honestly I think it’s awesome -- and not in the ‘holy crap let’s stare at the oddity’ kind of way. And sure some people are going to have issues with it --” Her family included. “--but I have spent too much of my life worrying what idiots think. It’s my life and I’ll live it the way I want to.”

 

She chuckled, running one hand sheepishly through her sun-bronzed hair. “Sorry about the speech. I just… wanted to you to know that I don’t have any ulterior motive. I’d like you to feel at home here. And I’d like to be friends.”

 

“I’d like that too.” For as long as it lasted.

 

“WE SHALL BE THE BEST OF FRIENDS!” Papyrus declared, sweeping the girl up in an enthusiastic hug. ‘Up’ being the operative word as her feet no longer touched the ground. 

 

Still she laughed, returning the hug. “I hope so. It’s a lot more fun living with friends.” 

  
  
  
  


The truck arrived a few minutes later, driven by…. a large bipedal dog of some kind. Okay, sure, why not. Whomever they were they and their dragon-y-looking cohort appeared to be friends with the brothers, stopping to chat with them for a while before lifting the cargo door of the truck. 

 

There wasn’t a lot of furniture. Two bed frames -- one of them in the shape of a race car -- two mattresses still in factory packaging, a desk and chair, and a pair of bookshelves. All the rest had been too smoke-damaged to keep. There were a few boxes of books and a couple more of kitchen supplies. Three boxes were labeled ‘THE GREAT PAPYRUS’S BATTLE FIGURES’. What they had for clothing fit into a couple of suitcases. 

 

It didn’t take long to bring everything upstairs. The biggest challenge was getting the mattresses and race car bed up the narrow stairwell. But the movers were professionals and through some miracle managed to get everything installed in the rooms without a single dent on the walls. Both chose to have their beds set up against the wall under the window. Even if the view was only of the parking lot and the houses across the street, it was nice to be able to see the sky.

 

“I’ll, ah, leave you guys to settle in,” Maddie said as she heaved the box of kitchen stuff onto the counter. “What do you guys feel like for supper? I could order pizza or something.”

 

“I SHALL MAKE US FRIENDSHIP SPAGHETTI!” Papyrus suggested enthusiastically. 

 

Ah okay so he was the pasta lover. “I can make spaghetti. I think I’ve got the makings for homemade sauce too.”

 

“WONDERFUL! WE CAN CRUSH THE TOMATOES AS IF THEY ARE OUR ENEMIES!”

 

“Ah...come again?”

 

Sans shook his head. “Maybe we shouldn’t destroy the kitchen our first night here, bro. Papyrus went to the Undyne school of cooking. She’s...a little overzealous sometimes.”

 

“Okay. Ah...any objection to me using an immersion blender?” She asked, pulling the tool out of one of the drawers. 

 

Papyrus eyed it with fascination, from the plastic grip to the small curved propeller at the end. “WHAT IS THIS STRANGE WEAPON?”

 

“Immersion blender,” she repeated, offering it for him to examine. “Like a normal blender but with the spinny-choppy bit on a stick. Good for making single-serving stuff or minimizing the amount of cleanup after. Just plug it in, submerge the propeller end into whatever you want to chop up, and press the button.”

 

“THIS WOULD BE A GREAT TOOL TO ADD TO THE GREAT PAPYRUS’S COOKING ARSENAL!”

 

“It is a pretty handy little gadget. If you want to help me out with dinner you can give it a shot if you want.”

 

The skeleton’s eyes lit with delight. “CAN I REALLY?”

 

“Sure. Mi kitchen es su kitchen, and all that. You guys go settle in. I’m going to get a bit of work done. I’ll call you when I’m going to start supper.”

 

“THANK YOU, HUMAN! I WILL BEGIN ORGANIZING MY BATTLE FIGURES!” Putting the immersion blender back on the counter, Papyrus skipped off to his room to unpack. 

 

“He’s fun,” Maddie decided, turning to pour herself a glass of water. 

 

“Yeah, my bro’s a pretty cool guy.” Sans agreed, tucking his hands casually into his pockets. “Thanks for being cool with him.”

 

“I like him,” she shrugged. “Like I said, he’s fun and I’d like us to be friends. All of us.”

 

“Friends.” He offered his hand again, chuckling when she gave it a suspicious glance. “No tricks this time.” But if anything ever happened to his brother… well, a little practical joke would be the least of her worries. 

  
  
  
  
  


Papyrus was...not exactly a disaster in the kitchen but his enthusiasm had flecks of tomato spattered all over the counter… and himself. In an attempt to save his clothing Maddie disappeared into her room, returning a moment later with a pink and black frilled apron that she tied onto him with a grin. 

 

“There! You’re beautiful.” She declared, watching curiously as an orange glow rose over his bony cheeks. Was that… a blush? Completely ignoring how someone with neither skin nor blood could blush to begin with, it was completely adorable.

 

“I DO LOOK QUITE CHARMING.” He agreed, posing dramatically with the blender. Sure the apron was way too short, the waistband not quite reaching the bottom of his ribcage, but Papyrus did not seem to care. Quite the contrary, he was quite pleased to be wearing it. He felt like a real chef! 

 

With the tomato sauce base ready on the stove Maddie spooned a bit of pesto in from a jar in the fridge, just enough to add flavour. She gave it a stir, held the spoon out for her sous-chef to taste. “How’s that?”

 

“WOWIE! THAT TASTES GOOD! WHAT DID YOU ADD?”

 

“Pesto. Chopped basil, lemon, garlic… few other things,” she answered. “Also really good on burgers.”

 

“SANS, YOU MUST TRY THIS!” Papyrus dipped the spoon in the pot, then turned and ran it to his brother’s room, shedding a few drips on the floor. 

 

“Pretty good, bro,” came the muffled reply. “Not ketchup but pretty darn good.”

 

Maddie chuckled, tearing off some paper towel to wipe the sauce from the floors. Ketchup? So he was one of those, the kind that put ketchup on everything. Her sister was the same way with ranch dressing. Some days she swore Alexis would drink it if she could. 

  
  
  
  


So it turns out Sans actually was ‘one of those’. And in fact he actually did drink ketchup. Literally drank. Out of the bottle. How exactly that worked Maddie had no idea. It just went into his mouth and disappeared, same as the spaghetti. 

 

“So...I gotta ask,” she started, twirling up another forkful of spaghetti. “And I’m sorry if this is out of line because the curiosity is killing me. One of you guys plays the trombone.”

 

Sans gave a small salute with the ketchup bottle. “That would be me.”

 

“How does that work exactly?”

 

“Uh….put it to your mouth and blow into it? The air travels through the mouthpiece and the tube and makes a sound?”

 

“Funny guy. I was in music all the way through school. I know how brass instruments work. In fact I tried for like an hour to try to get a sound out of one of those mouthpieces and all I got out of it was a headache. So, and again sorry if this is really rude, but how do you play the trombone when you don’t have lips?”

 

“Same as anything else we do.” The skeleton grinned, twinkled his fingers. “Magic.”

 

She snorted, taking a sip from her glass. 

 

“You seem pretty cool with the idea.”

 

Maddie shrugged. “On the outside I’m cool. On the inside… I’m screaming rainbows.”

 

“HUMANS CAN DO THAT? SANS WHY WERE WE NOT TOLD THIS?”

 

Maddie giggled. “No, no, not literal rainbows. It just means I’m excited. Magic...it wasn’t real for us for so long. Long enough that most of humanity relegated its existence to fairy tales. So knowing it’s real… it’s awesome. And like I said, I want you to feel at home here so… yeah, I want you to feel comfortable using magic if you want to.” 

 

“You sure about that?”

 

“Screaming rainbows, remember?” She shrugged, deliberately casual as she forked up another bite of spaghetti. 

 

Sans eyed her speculatively for a moment before he came to a decision. An electric blue glow flickered in his left eye. A matching aura surrounded his brother’s plate, lifting it a few inches off the table then depositing it in front of the shorter skeleton, who took a smug forkful of spaghetti.

 

“SANS! I WAS NOT FINISHED WITH THAT!” Papyrus protested. “YOU HAVE YOUR OWN SPAGHETTI!”

 

“Sorry bro,” he grinned. “Yours just tastes better.”

 

“THEY ARE EXACTLY THE SAME!”

 

Maddie just stared. “That...was...awesome!”

 

Sans chuckled. That was just a parlour trick. He had the feeling that if she ever saw them pull out the big stuff her head might just explode. 

 

She was pretty close already. Dozens of questions buzzed in her mind. How did that work? Where did the magic come from? Was there any kind of special training involved? What did it feel like? What else could he do? All a little much for only an afternoon’s acquaintance so instead she turned to Papyrus. “Can you do that too?”

 

He shook his head. “I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, CAN DO MANY THINGS! Just...not that…” He admitted as he stole his plate back from his brother.

 

“But you do make some pretty awesome puzzles,” Sans pointed out, gesturing with the ketchup bottle.

 

“THAT IS TRUE! THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS AN EXCELLENT PUZZLE DESIGNER!” Papyrus agreed.

 

“What kind of puzzles?”

 

“ALL KINDS!” He declared enthusiastically. 

 

“Designed some pretty wicked ones in the underground,” Sans told her. “Obstacle courses and stuff.” He deliberately omitted the swinging axes, flame-throwers and electrified floor panels. 

 

“YES, I DESIGNED MANY INGENIOUS TRAPS FOR THE...humans….” He turned away, an orange glow rising in his cheeks. 

 

Humans? Maddie blinked. Why would they want to trap humans?

 

“To be fair,” Sans cut in quickly. “You never did catch one. Actually you made friends with the first one you ever met.”

 

“SA -- WELL----” Papyrus frowned, not entirely sure whether he should be protesting or not. 

 

“Wait, wait,” Maddie cut in. “You mean Frisk, right? The ambassador?” Both brothers turned to stare at her. “What? Everyone knows their name.” She paused, took another casual bite of food. “And I substitute-taught their class last week.”

 

“WHAT?! YOU KNOW THE SMALL HUMAN?”

 

‘I know many small humans,” she quipped. “But yeah, their teacher was sick last week so she called me in. They are a total sweetheart.”

 

“Yeah, Frisk’s a good kid.” Most of the time. When they weren’t possessed and on a psychotic murder spree.

 

“WE SHOULD HAVE THEM OVER FOR DINNER!”

 

“Bro, we just moved in…”

 

“What part of ‘I want you to feel at home here’ wasn’t clear earlier?” Maddie asked mildly. “I’d love to meet your friends and I’d love to see Frisk again. Maybe we can arrange a movie night next weekend.”

 

“REALLY?”

 

“Sure!” She grinned. “I can make dinner. Anything in particular they’d like?”

 

“SPAGHETTI!!”

 

She snickered. “Okay, spaghetti it is.” And maybe a couple other things. Human cannot live on carbs alone. 

 

Papyrus let out a cheer, zipping his empty plate over to the dishwasher as he expounded on the virtues of the ‘super cool friends of the Great Papyrus’.


	3. In Which the World is a Small One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maddie meets the rest of the gang, shares one of her hobbies, and learns the difference between human and monster physiology.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello beloved readers and welcome to the third installment of The Final Save!
> 
> Over a hundred people have read the first two chapters and I could not be more grateful. I want to thank all of you for reading and for your kudos, and a special think you to littlefuzzydude for leaving me such a wonderful comment. 
> 
> I hope you like this latest chapter!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Undertale, Star Wars, Slayers, or any other program or organization that is mentioned in this chapter. I do have Maddie as a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism, which I have always had a lot of interest in but am not actually part of so if I am inaccurate in my portrayal I ask that you please forgive the creative license that I have taken.
> 
> Thank you!

Chapter 3: In Which the World is a Small One

 

A movie night was planned for the following Friday night. While Maddie spent that day neck-deep in coloured fleece and Sans was off at one of his part-time jobs, Papyrus scrubbed the apartment from top to bottom. The only room’s safe from his attention were Maddie’s room and Sans’, which was somehow mysteriously home to a swirling vortex of socks. By mid-afternoon not a single dust-bunny remained and everything gleamed with polish. It was around this point that Maddie emerged from her fabric cocoon and volunteered to make some cookies to go along with their planned dinner ----which was, of course, spaghetti, though Maddie had dug up an old recipe for chicken parmesan and roasted veggies to liven things up a bit. 

Though considering she was cooking for seven, she enlisted Papyrus’s help as sous-chef. Back in the the ruffled apron, his was tasked with chopping the tomatoes for the chunky sauce, and the other veggies for roasting. As he did this Maddie, who had donned another apron that declared “will cook for shoes”, washed and breaded the chicken, then started on the cookies. It was a simple enough recipe, though she had tweaked it a bit to make them a little less unhealthy, using whole wheat flour instead of white, and apple sauce in the place of cooking oil. That would compensate for the load of chocolate chips that she dumped in--- though she compensated for the MnM’s that she tossed in by adding a bunch of dark chocolate so it wasn’t quite that bad. Or at least that’s what she told herself. 

Maddie would be the first to admit that she was kind of a lazy cook, the kind who often stuck to the one-pot-and-done philosophy, but if she was entertaining for a group she made a point of doing it right. 

At about quarter to five Maddie pulled the cookies from the oven, setting them on a raised tray to cool. That left her about twenty minutes before the chicken had to go in to cook and about forty-five minutes until their guests were due to arrive. That left her with plenty of time to set the table and tidy herself up. 

Papyrus helped her pull the dining table away from the wall and dug the leaf out from the hall closet, expanding the table so there would be room for all of their guests. The surface the covered with a pale yellow cloth, the turquoise plates set over wine red damask placemats. 

“Looking good,” Maddie commented, taking a step back to admire the final picture. “We make a good team.”

“WOWIE, WE REALLY DO!” Papyrus agreed proudly.

“I’m going to put the chicken in the oven and go change. Let me know if people start showing up early?”

“I WILL ADVISE YOU OF THEIR ARRIVAL!”

Sweet little cinnamon roll, Maddie thought to herself as she retreated to her room. It was so rare nowadays to meet a genuinely sweet soul like that, the sort that was kind for kindness’s sake because that was just who they were. She’d only known him a week but he was very quickly becoming one of her favourite people. Who could help but love a teddy bear like Papyrus? They’d have to have a heart of stone.

She paused before her closet, weighing her options. It was a holdover from her days living at home that she felt herself go through a mini-crisis every time she went to an event or went out to meet new people. In the end she had to force herself to think casually, to dress for herself before anyone else. She went with one of her favourite shirts, a chiffon tank printed like floral-patterned stained glass, worn over a purple cami and paired with a matching leather jacket that she’d found on sale a few weeks earlier. The yoga pants she habitually wore for work she traded for a pair of slim indigo jeans. 

Right as she reached for the brush to give her hair a last going-over she heart a yelp and a muffled oath from the kitchen. 

Dear God, were they here already? Maddie tossed the brush onto her bed, leaving the room at a light jog only to find Sans in the kitchen, blowing on a cookie that he’d snagged from the cooling rack. Judging by the large bite taken out of one side he’d tried a sample only to discover that they were not quite edible temperature yet. 

“Hey,” she grinned, moving over the lean casually against the counter. “I didn’t hear you get home.”

She wouldn’t have, given that he’d used one of his special shortcuts. “Just got in. Saw the cookies and couldn’t resist. Bit hot still but totally worth it.”

“Glad you like them.”

“Didn’t get chocolate much in the underground,” he continued, deciding that finishing the treat now was well worth the burned mouth. “The colourful things, that’s those MnM things, right?”

She nodded. “Yeah, Add them to cookies and regular chocolate chip cookies become...oh God…” 

“What?”

“Ah...growing up we always called them ‘monster cookies’,” she admitted, her face heating in a blush. “I didn’t even think about that.” Good job, idiot.

“Don’t suppose they’re magic, are they?” He asked curiously.

“No,” she laughed. “Didn’t know magic baking was a thing.”

“Oh yeah,” he answered, mouth covered in crumbs. “Most monster food involves a bit of magic. Best recovery food ever. But these are pretty damn magical. Monster food or not, when they taste this good you can call them whatever you want.”

“Aw! Thanks Sans.” She had the mad compulsion to ruffle his hair, like she would have done with one of her young students. Of course he was a grown man -- skeleton-- and didn’t have any hair at all so she settled for a friendly hip-check to get him out of the way so she could check on dinner. 

As she straightened she heard the sound of loud voices and footsteps in the hall. “Guess the gang is here.”

A moment later the door swung open and Papyrus burst into the apartment, two monsters in tow. One was a couple of inches taller than Papyrus and built like an amazon, all long and muscled limbs. She’d have been impressive on her own but with fiery red hair and a body covered in gleaming blue scales that fanned into a pair of fins in the place of ears, she was really something else. She dressed casually in a red tank and a black leather jacket, her skinny black pants tucked into black combat boots. 

Behind her was a plump, yellow-scaled form that Maddie would have recognized anywhere.

“Alphys!” She called with a grin, jogging over to greet them. “Small world.”

“N-nice to s-see y-you,” the scientist said with a shy smile. 

Papyrus let out a gasp of delight. “WOWIE! MY FRIENDS KNOW EACH OTHER!”

“And you’re...Undyne, right?” Maddie asked, turning to the redhead. The name fit. She remembered from some novels that she read ages ago that ‘undyne’ was a name for water spirits. Frick yes! “Papyrus has said some great things about you. It’s nice to meet you at last.” She offered her hand to shake.

She had a grip like a vice, used so casually that Maddie wondered exactly how strong Undyne really was. “You too. So how do you know my girl?”

“Met at the book shop a couple weeks ago. Actually the same day I did the paperwork for the host program.”

“Oh, you’re the one who recommended that RWBY show!” Undyne burst out. “Hell yes! That show was awesome. We marathoned all of season two last night.”

“Ooh! Okay, you’ve got to watch season 3,” Maddie urged. “I won’t spoil it but it gets very interesting. And you get to see Velvet fight.”

“The bunny chick? Fricken finally! What does that damn box do?”

“Not telling.”

“Good plan,” Sans chuckled. “She’d probably start throwing spears again if another show got spoiled for her.”

“Hey, that only happened once!”

“A-are F-Frisk and T-Toriel here y-yet?”

“Not --”

“THEY HAVE JUST SENT ME A TEXT STATING THAT THEY HAVE ARRIVED! I SHALL RETRIEVE THEM!” He was out the door before anyone could say another word.

“Does his whole body run on coffee?” Maddie wondered to her herself, getting a laugh out of the other three.

“You’d think,” Undyne snickered. “But no. And if you value your sanity, don’t give him any.”

“So noted. Not that I keep any around here anyway, except occasionally for guests.“

“She’s more a tea drinker like you,” Sans commented, nodding briefly towards the kitchen. “Her collection puts yours to shame.”

Undyne looked impressed. “Really?”

“I order a lot online,” Maddie shrugged. “I’ll give you the website later, if you want. There’s this one cool site that I use that does different blends inspired by characters and fandoms.”

“Hell yes! I like you, punk. You’re good people.”

“Maddie laughed. “I like you too.” Undyne was the cool, badass self she always wanted to be. Maybe if they hung out maybe some of her casual self-confidence would rub off. 

Just then the timer went off on the oven. “And there’s dinner. I’ll take care of that if you guys want to sit. Sans would you mind getting drinks?”

“Sure.”

Maddie had just pulled the trays from the oven and placed them on the cooling racks when a small form crashed into her, wrapping their arms around her waist. “GYAH!”

There was a delighted giggle and she twisted around to find a dark head of hair buried against her back.

“Frisk!” How is it that mothers across the world achieved that perfect tone that blended amusement and censure. Even when said mom was a six foot tall bipedal goat-type creature in a purple dress, some things just seemed universal. “We don’t tackle people when we meet them!”

Frisk pulled back with a grin on their face that said yes, yes they did. 

Maddie just laughed. “I don’t mind. Hey kiddo! How’s it going?”

They pulled back, signed cheerfully. Good! 

“Glad to hear it.” She smiled, then glanced back towards the other newcomer. “You must be Frisk’s mom. Toriel, right?” She’d heard a little about the Queen of Monsters from the school faculty, and more still from the skelebros. Aah! She’s a Puc! This is so cool!

Toriel nodded. “I am sorry we didn’t get to meet when you were at the school. Frisk says that you are a wonderful teacher.”

Maddie’s cheeks flushed at the praise. “Aw, thanks kid. It’s easy to be a good teacher with such a great group of students. And this one here is a total sweetheart.” She ruffled their hair, causing them to swat at her hand in mock-protest. 

The oven timer sounded again.

“Whoops! Sorry, forgot to turn that off. Grab a seat, you two. Dinner will be on the table in a minute and there’s cookies for dessert later.”

Frisk through their hands up excitedly, racing to the table.

“Do you need any help?” Toriel offered.

Maddie shook her head. “I’ve got it, but thanks.”

But of course she’d barely picked up the serving bowl when Papyrus whisked it out of her hands, presenting his famous spaghetti to his waiting friends. Maddie shook her head, moving instead to pick up the platters where she’d piled the chicken and roasted vegetables. She had barely placed them on the table when she caught a brief glimpse of a single cookie floating at the edge of her vision. 

“Hey!”

“SANS, YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER DINNER!”

His brother snatched the cookie from the air, stuffing it into his mouth. “You saw nothing.”

“These are not the droids you’re looking for?” Maddie quoted with a wry smirk.

The others blinked at her. “...what?”

Maddie glanced around at the circle of blank monster faces. “...Star Wars?”

“I repeat, what?” Undyne asked.

The realization hit like a ton of bricks. “You guys haven’t seen Star Wars.”

Frisk raised their hand as the others shook their heads. “Ah….no?”

Maddie grinned, rubbing her hands together with undisguised glee. “Ah, fresh converts. Who’s up for a movie after dinner?”

 

Watching Star Wars was an unqualified success. Undyne declared the moment she saw one that she wanted a lightsaber and when the famous line “I am your father” was uttered the entire living room exploded with gasps and shouts of disbelief. Actually for Maddie, who had seen the series several times, watching her friends was more fun than watching the film. 

“That...was awesome!” Undyne declared when the end credits started to roll. “And you said there’s six more of these?”

Maddie nodded. “This is the first of the original trilogy. There’s three that they made that are chronologically before this and one that comes after. Number seven is pretty decent and the prequels are….okay. There’s some pretty divided opinions there but the fight scenes are awesome.”

“Sweet!”

“I-I liked the d-droids,” Alphys admitted with a smile. 

‘NO FILM DROID COULD MATCH THE GREATNESS OF METTATON!” Papyrus declared insistently.

“Mettaton like...the android TV star?” They knew him too? Well...it followed that monsters would be a fairly close-knit community all considered.

“Know him?” Sans snorted. “Alphys built him.”

Maddie gaped at her. “You….seriously? Holy damn, Alphys.” At Toriel’s vaguely censuring glance she flinched a bit. “Sorry. Language. But that’s amazing. You built an actual fully independant AI. I mean, scientists up here have been working on that for ages and they’ve made some progress but you’ve utterly decimated them.”

If Alphys blushed any brighter she’d be glowing neon. “I-it r-really wasn’t…. I-I mean it was a l-lot of w-work but….”

“My girl is just brilliant,” Undyne grinned, pulling her in for an enthusiastic hug and kissing the top of her scaly fringe. 

“Wow, progress!” Sans quipped. “Didn’t she almost pass out the first time you did that?”

“S-Sans!”

Maddie giggled. “You guys are so cute. I ship you like FedEx.”

Undybe laughed. “I like that one. I’m going to use that.”

Frisk snickered, the sound trailing off into a small yawn. Toriel smiled fondly down at them as they curled up against Papyrus. “We should be getting home, I think. Thank you for a wonderful evening.”

“YOU MUST VISIT AGAIN NOW THAT WE NO LONGER LIVE AT THE HOTEL!” Papyrus invited as Frisk slid off the couch. 

“Please do,” Maddie agreed. “I’d love the chance to hang out again. And possibly get your recipe for cinnamon butterscotch pie.”

Toriel smiled. “I would enjoy that very much. Perhaps you could also share with me your recipe for cookies? Frisk seems quite fond of them.”

‘Fond’ was a bit of an understatement as the munchkin had put away four of them before their mother stopped them.

“Deal. Actually you can take the rest home with you if you want.”

“Hey!” Sans protested. “What about the rest of us?”

“It’s not like I can’t make more.”

“But what if I want cookies for breakfast?”

“Then I’d say you’re courting diabetes but I’m not sure if you can get that,” Maddie laughed. 

“Seeing as I don’t know what that is, let’s go with ‘no’.”

“We should probably head out too,” Undyne commented, checking her watch. “Some of us have to work in the morning.” In the last few months she had developed a reputation as the toughest physical trainer in the state. It was good for business but it occasionally meant that some gung-ho client would insist on pre-dawn training. 

“Ouch. Some nut-job booked a saturday morning boot-camp” Sans cringed. “Dibs out.”

“IT WOULDN’T HURT TO SEE YOU OUT OF BED BEFORE NOON, LAZYBONES” Papyrus pointed out. 

“Isn’t that what saturdays are for?”

Still arguing good-naturedly the brothers walked their guests to the door. As they said their goodbyes Maddie put the remainder of the cookies in a plastic container that she handed to Frisk. 

“Now don’t go eating all of those before you get home.” she teased, ruffling their hair.

The child smiled innocently then threw their arms around her in an enthusiastic hug.

Maddie hugged back, savouring the moment. There was something special about being hugged by kids. You could always tell when they meant them. When they loved it was unquestioningly and without reservation. It would be nice if everyone could learn to love like that again. 

Bye Maddie! They signed as they pulled away.

“Bye Frisk. Bye everyone! It was really great meeting all of you.”

“N-nice to m-meet you t-too, M-Maddie”

“Later, nerds!”

The apartment seemed suddenly too quiet with them gone.

“Your friends are awesome,” Maddie commented, moving to the kitchen to get started on the dishes.

“Yeah, they’re pretty cool. Small world though.”

“You mean me running into Alphys?” She laughed, turning on the tap and setting the water to hot. “Yeah, really. I remember she mentioned she had a girlfriend named Undyne -- who, by the way, I can’t decide if I want to grow up to be or simply steal away to marry myself. Instant girl-crush -- but I didn’t know she’d be the same one that Papyrus trained with. Could have been a common name.”

“NYEH! UNDYNE IS ONE ONE OF A KIND, AN AWESOME FRIEND FOR THE GREAT PAPYRUS!”

“Not too many ‘common’ names in the Underground,” Sans added, dropping casually back onto the couch. “Unless you count ‘Temmie’, of which there are literally an entire village.”

“Temmie?” It took her a minute to place the name. “Oh, the cute cat-looking ones, right? They’re all called Temmie?”

“All but one. Keeps things simple.”

“Unless you’re looking for a friend in a crowded room.”

“True,” Sans chuckled. “Then it just gets funny.”

She had the mental image of a room full of cat-people all introducing themselves at the same time, almost like the seagulls in Finding Nemo, except instead of yelling “Mine! Mine! Mine!” they would all be shouting out “Hi! I’m Temmie!”

The thought had her snickering as she scrubbed down the dirty baking trays. Papyrus immediately pulled a towel from the drawer to dry as she washed. She’d learned in the last couple of weeks that the taller skeleton was fastidious about the cleanliness of their home and was always the first to offer to lend a hand with the tidying. No errant dust-bunnies escaped his sight. It even inspired Maddie to adjust her own cleaning standards… Which she would admit were rather lax when it came to day-to-day living. Not swirling-tornado-of-socks lax -- and seriously how did that even happen? -- but if a basket full of clean laundry waited a week or two to get folded and put away she wouldn't have thought twice about it.

“So you feel like meetin’ the gang for dinner next week?” Sans asked. Undyne had just texted him suggesting they add her to their plans. 

“Ah… Sure?” Maddie answered with a shrug. “Heard you guys making plans earlier. You sure it's okay I tag along?”

“Yeah, ‘s no big. Actually Undyne suggested it. Her exact words: bring the cool nerd. So I'm pretty sure that's a ‘yes’.”

“The cool nerd,” she repeated, a grin curving her lips. “I like it. I'm in.”

 

 

The week passed in something of a blur. So quickly in fact that when saturday arrived and Maddie’s alarm shocked her awake it took her a moment to remember why she had set the thing to wake her in the first place.

Right… I’ve got that event today. She thought to herself as she tossed off the covers. 

Maddie had gotten involved with the SCA -- the Society for Creative Anachronism -- part way through her second year of university. She’d been wandering through the Clubs’ Fair in the campus quad when the booth had caught her eye. History had always been a passion of hers and seeing people chilling on campus in full plate armor… How could she resist approaching? Things just snowballed from there. She had started with historical costuming, pre-seventeenth-century being the focus of the group, and had gone on from there. It had taken very little urging to get her into historical combat. 

That was Duane’s doing, she remembered as she dug her gear from her closet. Not that she’d been particularly subtle, watching the fencing and archery practice with undisguised avarice. How many years had she spent as a kid playing with sticks for swords and garbage can lids for shields? The moment they put the real things in her hands her face had split into a grin so wide that it actually hurt. 

That was all it took for her to fall in love.

Her mother had not been pleased. Still wasn’t, as a matter of fact. She spoke of the SCA members in a tone openly condescending of their ‘little hobby’. In her opinion anyone who participated in activities like that were neck-bearded, mouth-breathing mole people forever condemned to live in their parents’ basements. The look on her face when Maddie told her that the King of the local kingdom was a neurosurgeon and one of her other friends was a highly paid architect had been absolutely priceless. 

Maddie was still grinning at the memory when she stepped into the hall. “Okay guys, I’m heading out. Might grab dinner afterwards but I’ll keep you posted.”

“Sounds good,” Sans nodded from the living room. “Gotta’ ask though...ah...what’s with the get-up?”

“YOU APPEAR TO BE PREPARING FOR A GREAT BATTLE! ARE YOU IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE? THE GREAT PAPYRUS WOULD BE HONOURED TO FIGHT BY YOUR SIDE!”

Maddie laughed, “Thanks Papyrus but no, there is no battle. Well...there is, but it’s not real. I told you guys I had an SCA thing today.”

“That would have explained a lot more if we knew what the SCA was.”

“Society for Creative Anachronism. Historical education and recreation based on pre-seventeenth-century culture. ‘The Middle Ages as they ought to have been’, is kind of the running idea. There’s a bunch of regional chapters spread throughout the country. We call them Kingdoms. It’s pretty cool. I’ve got an exhibition today at the ren faire outside of town, which is why I’m dressed like this.” She explained, gesturing at her outfit. Because it was more of a fun event she’d gone more with a fantasy-medieval style with buff-coloured pants that laced up at the sides, a deep blue long-sleeved tunic, and a fitted leather jerkin. Over that she wore a long, hooded cloak in a dark red that she’d pinned at the shoulder with a heavy brooch. Her gold-copper hair she’d tied back in a series of braids and knots in an effort to keep it out of her face. The effect, she thought, was very Lagertha from Vikings. Her rattan sword hung from a belt at her side. 

It was a cursory explanation at best but how could she explain how it felt to step away from herself for even a little while? When she was with her SCA friends they didn’t have to be who they were. They could be anyone they wanted. Lords and Ladies and Knights. Maddie Taylor, part-time teacher, most-of-the-time-seamstress could for a day be someone better, someone stronger and braver. Someone more like who she wanted to be. 

That was why she created the persona of Mathildr, Shieldmaiden of Silverglen. Mathildr was clever and straightforward and took no crap. Actually… now that she thought of it, she was a bit like Undyne. 

“If you guys don’t have any plans today you can come along,” Maddie offered. “I mean if you want to?” Would they want to? It was kind of a weird hobby…

“Do we have to dress like that?”

Maddie laughed. “You can dress however you want.”

“THE GREAT PAPYRUS CAN WEAR HIS BATTLE ARMOR!” Papyrus shouted excitedly, dashing towards his room to retrieve it.

“Well...I guess that’s one yes. How about you, funny-bones?”

Sans grinned at the nickname. “Could check it out. You uh...think it’s a good place for a pair of studly bros like us?”

“Considering we’re a bunch of fantasy nerds running around in armor and funny hats, this may be the most welcoming crew ever to a couple of monsters.” At least she was pretty sure. Everyone she’d talked to was pretty pro-monster. 

For a moment he hesitated. Well...they could always take a shortcut home if they needed too. 

“I mean, if it’s not your thing you don’t have to,” Maddie said quickly.

“Patella the truth...Sounds like fun,” he shrugged.

She snorted. “Telling puns like that is going to get you shot.”

“Really?”

“Course not,” she winked. “Just pulling your leg.”

“Ha ha. Think you’re pretty humerus don’t you.”

“I like to think I have a well-developed funny bone.”

“NO!” Papyrus protested as he emerged from his room with his white enameled breastplate. “YOU WILL NOT RUIN SUCH A LOVELY OUTING WITH SUCH AWFUL PUNS!”

“Curses, foiled again,” Maddie sighed, patting the weapon hanging from her belt.

Sans chuckled. “He does have a good point though.”

“Touche,” she nodded as Papyrus let out a sound of dismay. “Come on, we better head out of I’m going to be late.”

 

The renaissance fair was…. okay it was freakin’ weird, at least for Sans. There were humans in tunics and heavy gowns, leather corset and weird looking gauzy wings and enough people in full plate armor that Undyne could have shown up in her full rig and nobody would have batted an eye. It was almost unsettling to know how he had become used to people staring at them on the streets. Nobody did that at all here. In fact most of the people didn’t give them a second glance, except maybe to stop Papyrus and ask where he bought his armor. 

“I feel like I’ve walked into the Twilight Zone,” he muttered to himself as a woman in a long, gauzy dress chatted enthusiastically with his brother. 

Maddie laughed. “You think this is weird, you should see an anime convention. “I mean, there’s always some pretension and competition with these sort of things but for the most part they are all really good people. And speaking of good people -- Duane!” She waved, beckoning over a slightly older man dressed in a studded jerkin and brown trews. “Gentlemen allow me to introduce our esteemed landlord, Duane Johannesen, or as he’s known here, Lord Ironwood of Frostfall.” 

Lord...what? “Ah...hey. Nice to meet you.”

“HELLO HUMAN! IT IS A PLEASURE TO MAKE YOUR ACQUAINTANCE!” Papyrus declared, grabbing the man’s gloved hand in his own. 

“Nice to meet you guys too,” the man smiled back. “You must be Papyrus, right? And you’re Sans? Maddie’s told me a lot about you.” There had been many excited text messages proclaiming them the ‘best roommates ever’ and asking ‘please can they stay forever?’ “Everything working out so far?”

“EVERYTHING IS WONDERFUL! MY BROTHER AND I VERY MUCH ENJOY LIVING WITH THE HUMAN!”

“Glad to hear it,” he chuckled. “Maddie you should head to the tourney grounds. They are almost ready to get started.”

Crap, she was later than intended. “Thanks Duane. See you later!”

“WOWIE!” Papyrus exclaimed as they headed towards the tourney grounds. “DOES EVERYONE HERE HAVE A COOL BATTLE NAME?”

“Some of us do,” Maddie laughed.

“DO YOU HAVE ONE?”

She nodded, her cheeks flushing lightly. “Ah...yeah. Picked it up a few years ago…” The brothers looked at her expectantly. She sighed. “Mathildr of Silverglen.”

“THAT IS AWESOME!!” Papyrus gasped, orange stars dancing in his eyes. “I WANT A COOL BATTLE NAME!”

“I dunno, The Great Papyrus sounds pretty cool if you ask me,” Maddie shrugged. 

“YOU ARE RIGHT, HUMAN! THE GREAT PAPYRUS HAS A PERFECTLY GOOD NAME!”

“You guys okay on your own for a bit?” Maddie asked as they reached a roughly cordoned-off patch of field. “I’ve gotta stretch, do some warm up drills and stuff otherwise Lamia is going to kick my ass.”

“Lamia?”

Maddie grinned. “Otherwise known as Rachel, the most badass barista this side of the mountain.”

“Right.” Sans shook his head, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “Sure, you go ahead. We’ll be rootin’ for ya.”

“You better,” she teased with a wink, then ducked under the rope and jogged off to meet with the other fighters. 

“The humans at this gathering are very strange,” Papyrus remarked, returning a wave from a heavy-set man in a leather leaf-shaped mask. “But I think that they are very nice. They are all very colourful. It is almost like being Underground again. But much brighter as here there is the sun.”

“Do you miss it?” His brother asked softly. “Being Underground?”

“Sometimes,” he admitted. “It was home for a long time. But now here is home. I like it here. I like to see the sun and the stars and having different seasons. But yes, sometimes I do miss Snowdin.” Things had been much simpler there. Perhaps he did not have as many friends underground as he had now on the surface but it had been comfortable, he’d had a goal to work towards, and nobody shouted rude things to him on the street. 

“We could go back you know… If you wanted.” It might kill him to be away from the sun again after living his whole life in its absence but if it made Papyrus happy he would do it without a backward glance.

Could they, though? Could they really go back? Papyrus was uncertain. They house he was sure would be unchanged, and the town of Snowdin too for the most part. Though most of their neighbours had relocated to the surface along with them. But it wasn’t just the town. So much had changed in the months that they lived on the surface. He had changed. He was still awesome of course. He was The Great Papyrus so that went without saying. But it was a different kind of awesome from the awesome that he had been that day they met Frisk wandering alone in the wilderness. And Sans...he seemed so much happier up here, under the sky. He had withdrawn so far into himself in those weeks leading up to the barrier’s fall. Some days it had been like had given up on existing completely. Now it seemed he was finally coming back to himself again.

“No, I do not think so.” He could not go back to how things were before. He didn’t think he wanted to even if he could. “I like living here with the human.”

“So do I.”

 

 

“So those are the roommates, eh?” Rachel asked, glancing over to where the skelebros stood on the other side of the enclosure. “How’s that going?”

“Pretty great actually,” Maddie answered, sinking into a lunge. “They’re pretty cool guys. And their friends are awesome too. I’m meeting them all for dinner tomorrow.”

“I’m glad,” she sighed. “We were all a little worried about you at the start.”

“What, cuz I’m rooming with monsters?”

“Because you’re rooming with a pair of people you didn’t know, whatever the species. But it seems to be working out okay.”

“It’s working out great,” she smiled, giving her friend a companionable nudge on the shoulder before executing a couple of practice passes with her sword. “I’ll introduce what’s left of you once I wipe the floor with you.”

“Oh is that how it’s going to be?” The other girl laughed. “Bring it on, Silverglen.”

 

“OOH! SANS I THINK THEY ARE STARTING!”

A man in bright blue hose and a floppy hat festooned with a comically large feather had strode into the enclosure. Sans tried not to laugh even as his brother admired the man’s cap. 

“My Lords and Ladies, guests from far away lands, I bid you welcome!” The man announced with a courtly bow. “I am Dominic of Ellion and it is my honour today to act as officiant and master of ceremonies for today’s festivities.”

Sans wondered as the man continued his rambling introduction what he did in his everyday life. From what Maddie had told them on the drive there he could be anything from a history teacher to a high-powered CEO. He’d have to ask her later. 

The first pair to fight were a couple of bruisers in jingling chain maille. One of them, sporting a spectacular beard that sprouted like iron wool from his chin, fought with a battle axe. The other man, clean-shaven this time but with a stubby ponytail, used a sword. Both carried sturdy wooden shields on their other hands. A cheer went out throughout the crowd. They didn’t seem to care much who won for the most part -- after all, who could even keep their ridiculous names straight? -- They were just there for the entertainment. The guy with the axe was declared the winner but Sans had the feeling that the crowd would have cheered just as loud either way.

Next was a couple of guys with quarterstaves. That one was actually fairly interesting as they tended to embellish things with fancy spinning maneuvers when they circled each other. 

When they finished Dominic returned to the field. “Let’s have a round of applause for our combatants! Next, for your entertainment, Lamia Verillion and Mathilde of Silverglen!”

Papyrus led out a loud whoop as Maddie stepped out onto the field. “HUMAN, YOU CAN DO IT! THE GREAT PAPYRUS BELIEVES IN YOU!”

She grinned, saluting him with her sword before turning back to her opponent. 

“Warriors, take your positions,” Dominic instructed. “Et tu pret? Allez!”

Maddie and Rachel began to circle, as much for the dramatic effect as to get each other’s measure. They had fought each other in the past, though Rachel lived in another town a couple hours away. A friendly rivalry had sprung up between them in the last few years and they both looked forward to rematches whenever the opportunity arose. 

Maddie moved first, feinting with her sword. Lamia swung her shield up to parry but her opponent stepped around her with an upwards slash. She twisted, just barely blocking with her own sword.

The brothers watched with undisguised interest. It was more of a game than actual combat, rather like Papyrus’s training with Undyne. Some kind of martial prowess was certainly required but nobody was actually trying to kill each other. 

They sure put on a good show though, especially when both women decided to kick it up a notch and threw down their shields. Now they came at each other in earnest, their wooden swords meeting with a sharp clack! each time they clashed. 

Oh yeah, it’s on now, Sans thought as Maddie narrowly avoided a slash that clipped the braids that swung from one side of her head. “Come on, Maddie! Stay determined!”

Determined huh? She thought, a small smile curving her lips as she parried another blow, coming in with a slash that caught the edge of Lamia’s sleeve. She followed up with a reversed butterfly slash, narrowly missing her opponent’s head. 

Lamia cursed, falling back a step. Maddie followed with another attack, swiping at her knees before coming back in with a two-handed slash to the shoulder that Lamia barely blocked. She side-stepped to repost but Maddie kept coming. Knowing that for the first time in years she had people here for her, cheering her on, filled her with determination. 

And there, at last, she had her opening. Ducking Lamia’s overhand swing she fell into a crouch, sweeping at her opponent’s legs with one outstretched foot. Lamia tried to jump but too late. Maddie’s foot caught the back of her shins, sending her tumbling to the dirt. Before she could right herself again she found herself staring up at the point of Maddie’s sword. 

“Do you yield?” She asked, her voice barely audible over the cheering spectators.

“I yield,” Lamia responded, panting.

Maddie grinned, offering her free hand to help her friend up. Her lungs burned like fury and a line of sweat ran down the back of her tunic but she couldn’t help the wild grin and spread across her face. “Nice job. You almost had me a couple of times.”

“You too,” Lamia smiled, sweeping sweat-darkened brown hair behind one ear. “You really pulled it off in the end there.”

“Guess I was just determined,” she laughed, remembering what Sans had shouted to her a few moments before.

“Your victor, ladies and gentlemen!” Dominic proclaimed, gesturing towards her. “Mathilde of Silverglen!”

 

“THAT WAS AWESOME!” Papyrus exclaimed when she rejoined them, grabbing her into a bone-crushing hug. “I KNEW THAT YOU WOULD BE VICTORIOUS! TRULY YOU ARE A FIERCE WARRIOR!” 

“Heh… Thanks Papyrus,” she smiled when she could breathe again. “Thanks for cheering me on.”

“You did good, kid,” Sans grinned, offering her a bottle of water.

“Thanks! Oh, God, you are my hero,” she sighed, taking the bottle from him and downing half the contents in one go. She was tempted to dump the rest of it over her head but she settled with wiping her forehead on her sleeve. “Whew…. That was a tough one. Lamia’s been practicing.”

Sans shrugged. “Looked like you did pretty good. You won after all.”

Maddie grinned, shooting him a playful wink. “I’ve been practicing too.”

“OOH! YOU SHOULD TRAIN WITH ME AND UNDYNE!” Papyrus suggested excitedly. “I AM SURE THAT SHE WOULD BE PLEASED TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR PRACTICING!”

“I’m pretty sure Undyne could kick my ass without breaking a sweat,” she laughed. She did fine sparring with other SCA people but Undyne would probably find it laughable. She didn’t want her status as the ‘cool nerd’ to be downgraded to ‘wow, loser’. She didn’t think she could take that. 

“Undyne kicks most people’s asses.”

“True,” Maddie conceded. “Which I believe is the entire point of being Captain of the Royal Guard. Actually once the paranoia about magic dies down it would be cool to set up a couple of exhibition matches with some of the other guards if they were up to it.” 

“THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT IDEA!”

“Could be fun,” Sans admitted. Or it could be a complete disaster. They’d have to see how things went. “You got another fight comin’ up or was it just the one?”

“I’ve got another one later this afternoon,” she told him, pulling out her phone to check the time. “Which leaves a couple hours to poke around and shop if you want.”

“YES! OOH I WISH TO SEE THE COOKING TENTS! PERHAPS THEY HAVE SPAGHETTI!”

“Ah...probably not, bro,” Sans chuckled. “Don’t think they had spaghetti in the middle ages.”

“Probably not,” Maddie agreed. “But they do a great roast and turkey legs the size of my arm.”

“TO THE COOKING TENT!”

 

The roast was as good as advertised, the turkey legs even more so. The discordant sight of the brothers chowing down on the things was so funny to Maddie that she couldn’t resist snapping a few pictures. Sans figured it was only fair as he’d already recorded her match and sent it to their friends with the caption “She Makes a Good Point”. Papyrus went right along with it, posing dramatically with his turkey leg, one red-booted foot propped upon the bench on which they sat. 

From there they wandered through the varying tents and stalls. There were armorsmiths and leather workers beside LARPing groups, novelists and a handful of fortune tellers. They got some particularly great shots of Papyrus donning a heavy chain maille coif and doing heroic poses. And then there were the jewellers. Most worked with pewter, copper or silver with pieces cast and twisted into every form imaginable. Maddie fell instantly in love with a circlet made of twisted silver wire and grabbed the artist’s card for later. 

Unfortunately Maddie’s second match did not go nearly as well as her first. She didn’t get trounced exactly, and in fact had managed to hold her own for most of it. Her opponent simply had more experience and in the end even Maddie’s determination could not give her the victory. 

Maybe she should start training with Undyne after all.

“DO NOT BE SAD, HUMAN,” Papyrus reassured her when she stepped off the field. “YOU FOUGHT VERY WELL AND I AM SURE YOU WILL WIN THE NEXT TIME YOU FIGHT. I BELIEVE IN YOU!”

“Thanks Papyrus,” Maddie smiled, hugging him casually around the waist. She was sweaty, and exhausted, her clothes streaked with dirt, but in all, it had been a great day. “Thanks for coming with me today and cheering me on.”

“WE WILL ALWAYS COME TO CHEER FOR YOU, HUMAN! PERHAPS WE CAN BRING THE REST OF OUR FRIENDS NEXT TIME SO THEY MAY CHEER FOR YOU TOO!”

“That would be awesome!” She replied. “Well, you guys about done here? I’m craving pizza. Ooh! Want to grab some on the way home and see which of us gets the most weird looks?”

For a moment Sans just stared at her, then he threw his head back and laughed. Between her dirt-smeared costume and his brother’s shining breastplate it really was a toss up between which of them looked stranger to the average human. “Sure, let’s do it. Loser buys.”

“You’re on!”

 

 

Maddie did not sleep well that night. It wasn’t that she had trouble getting to sleep. After a full day like that one she dropped off like a stone almost the moment her head hit the pillows. But late that night something happened that shocked her into wakefulness.

Maddie stared around the darkened room, eyes wide. The hell was that? Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. There was nothing to indicate any sense of movement anywhere in the room. But the air…. Even in the stillness there was something in the air, a charge akin to the lightning one could often feel before a storm. The barest hint of ozone scented the air. 

As quietly as she could she pulled back the covers, gingerly shifting to place her feet on the cool wooden floor, senses on alert for anything out of the ordinary. A couple of times in the past she’d gotten impressions of places that in her more fanciful moments she liked to think of as echoes of what once had been there, but this… this was something entirely new. It tingled along her skin, leaving goosebumps in its wake but she could not for the life of her figure out where it was coming from.

She padded cautiously across the room, freezing as a flicker of light appeared in the crack under the door. A sharp twist of the knob had the door swinging open.

Maddie stepped into the hall only to find Sans sitting on the couch, the smooth white of his skull illuminated by the glow of the television. She sighed, the tension draining from her body. The strange feeling was gone now, replaced once more by the silence of the night.

“Hey,” she said softly, stepping quietly towards the living room, sparing a quick glance towards Papyrus’s door. It was still closed so whatever had just happened must not have woken him. Or maybe it was just her imagination. “You’re up late. Everything okay?”

“Yeah,” Sans shrugged. “Couldn’t sleep. Thought I’d come out here for a bit. What are you doing up?”

“I thought I felt…something. I dunno,” she gave a quiet chuckle. “Probably just a dream. Don’t stay up too late.”

He made a noncommittal sound. “G’night.”

“Goodnight.”

 

The following morning was met with the cheerful clanging of pots and pans as Papyrus announced that he would be preparing his fabulous ‘breakfast spaghetti’. What exactly differentiated ‘breakfast spaghetti’ from regular spaghetti -- or the mysterious ‘friendship spaghetti’ and ‘date spaghetti’ that had been mentioned -- Maddie wasn’t sure. Curious in spite of herself she threw a sweater on over her pajamas and dragged herself out into the kitchen.

“GOOD MORNING, HUMAN! DID YOU SLEEP WELL?”

“Morning,” she yawned, dragging one hand through the tangle of her hair. “Yeah, not bad. How about you?”

“I HAD A WONDERFUL SLEEP! MY RACE CAR BED IS VERY STYLISH AND COMFORTABLE AND THE NEW MATTRESS IS VERY GOOD.” He answered as he emptied a can of diced tomatoes into a pot. Then he reached over, emptying a small canister into the pot as well. Once again he was wearing the ruffled apron that she had tied onto him on that first night, apparently having decided that it was his officially designated cooking garb.

“Is that...glitter?”

“IT IS!” Papyrus nodded. “YOU ARE VERY CLEVER TO RECOGNIZE MY EXTRA SECRET INGREDIENT!”

“It’s very...sparkly…” And probably utterly inedible, Maddie thought as she retrieved a mug from the cupboard and poured herself a glass of milk. But she would try for Papyrus’s sake. “I’ll...ah...set the table.”

“Don’t worry,” Sans murmured to her, skirting around the table behind her as she set out the plates. “It’s the edible kind, I made sure.”

“Thanks,” she whispered back, then in a slightly louder voice asked, “So, any plans for the day?”

“I AM MEETING UNDYNE FOR TRAINING THIS AFTERNOON” Papyrus declared over the whir of the immersion blender. 

“We’re still on for tonight, right? Grillby’s?” Maddie checked. 

Sans nodded. “Think so. ‘Bout five work? Maybe come back here after? Alphys said you had a new series you wanted to show us.”

“Well it’s not exactly new,” Maddie shrugged. “Early ninties-ish? It’s pretty cool. Swords and sorcery, quippy banter. Seasons four and five weren’t great but the first three were awesome. But yeah, five works. I’ve got some errands and stuff to run this afternoon but I should be done by then.”

“THE BREAKFAST SPAGHETTI IS READY TO BE SERVED!” Papyrus declared, swooping into the dining room to deposit the pot on the cutting board that was waiting on the table. “PLEASE HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE UNTIL AFTER YOU HAVE SAMPLED IT SO YOU MAY APPRECIATE ITS DELICIOUSNESS.”

“Wow that looks...great!”

This...was going to be interesting. 

 

 

Grillby’s surface location was tucked tucked between a 24-hour laundromat and a vintage record store. The neighbourhood was a bit run down, but the neighbours were kind and surprisingly open to a Monster establishment opening up right next door. It had seen its share of trouble -- a group of drunken assholes tried to raid the place shortly after its opening -- but for the most part it was still seen as one of the safest gathering places in town for Monsters.

 

It was crowded when Maddie arrived. A pair of bunnies gossipped at the bar while a group of dogs clinked glasses in the corner. Grillby was crackling behind the bar, from the looks of it in the middle of mixing a martini of some kind. 

“Hey guys!” Maddie grinned, sweeping into the empty chair next to Undyne. “Sorry I’m late. I got --”

Whatever she said next was drowned out by her friends’ startled exclamations.

“W-what h-happened--”

“Hey punk, you okay?”

“What?” She gazed between them in confusion. “I’m fine.”

“BUT YOU HAVE BEEN ATTACKED!”

“No I haven’t.”

“SOME FOUL CRIMINAL HAS TAKEN YOUR HAIR!”

“My--” Maddie burst out in startled laughter. “My hair? I cut it.”

“You did it to yourself?” Undyne looked aghast. 

“No, I went to my hairdresser.” She frowned, twisting an errant lock between her fingers. Her hair, which had once curled almost to her waist, now came to a few inches below her shoulders. “Does it look bad?”

“N-no but…..w-why would you p-pay s-someone to h-hurt you?”

“Hurt...what?” Now she was just confused. “Do you guys not get haircuts?”

“Um….that would be a no,” Sans answered slowly. The others look equally disturbed. 

“So...what would happen if, say, I cut Undyne’s hair?”

The redhead jerked back, clutching her ponytail protectively. “Why? Why would you do that?”

“What if you wanted a new look?”

“What’s wrong with my look? I like my look.”

“That’s not what I meant,” she laughed. “Okay, I think what we have here is a failure to communicate.”

“No shit.”

“S-so c-cutting your h-hair… i-it d-doesn’t hurt?” Alphys asked curiously.

“No,” Maddie answered slowly. “Okay, clearly some differences in physiology here. Human hair isn’t alive. It grows, we cut it, some nutrient deficiencies and illnesses can even cause it to change colour or fall out. But it doesn’t hurt. Look.” She separated a strand from the rest, pulled it out to a chorus of shocked protestation. “I’m fine. No damage dealt at all.”

Papyrus poked her suspiciously. “YOU APPEAR UNHARMED.”

“I’m completely unharmed,” she reassured him. “So...you guys take damage if someone cuts your hair or your nails?”

“Wait, your nails are dead too?” Sans stared.

“Yeah.”

Undyne shook her head, taking a long draught of her beer. “Humans are weird.”

“Your bodies run on magic,” Maddie pointed out. “I think ‘weird’ is pretty relative at this point.”

“Fair.” 

 

Maddie could say without any doubt that Grillby’s was home to the best burgers and fries she’d ever had in her life. Hands down, no remote competition. They ate like the starving, talking over each other, gesturing with forks and fries and glasses to illustrate a point or elaborate on a story. 

Undyne was particularly animated, retelling the epic misadventure of the previous week’s dawn bootcamp client. “The punk thought he was so tough, kept asking me to push him harder. He wasn’t up to it, told him that a hundred times. Probably shouldn’t have given in,” she admitted with a shrug. “But what is it the humans say? The customer is always right?” She bared her teeth in a wicked grin. “Turns out that is not always the case.”

Sans chuckled, raising the ketchup bottle he’d been drinking from to his mouth and taking a long draught. “So how much pain is he in?”

“I’m sure he’s stopped puking his guts out by now.”

“And this is why you’re supposed to listen to your coaches,” Maddie said with a shake of her head. “Otherwise you end up with torn muscles and broken fingers.”

“Y-your c-coaches broke your f-fingers?” Alphys gasped.

“What? No but I’ve known a few people get hurt like that playing sports. Or showing off cuz they’re playing ninja with a quarterstaff.”

“Speaking of which, what the hell, nerd?” Undyne asked, yanking her into a playful headlock. “Why didn’t you tell us about your little wooden-sword club? You’ve been holding out on us!”

“I-I dunno,” she laughed, pulling at her friend’s leather jacketed arm in an attempt to give herself some breathing room. “It never really came up. Not like it really matters.”

“Of course it matters, you big dork,” the guardswoman argued, digging her knuckles against her friend’s head to drive in her point -- because noogies were good for that, right? “We’d have come to watch!”

Yes because she totally wanted Undyne to see her fight. There would be no pressure at all there. “It’s not like being a Royal Guard or anything. It’s just...play-fighting.”

“Pretty badass play fighting. You really put that Lamia chick on her ass.”

Maddie shrugged, “I did okay. She -- wait how do you know that?”

Undyne dropped Maddie back into her chair, took a casual sip from her beer. “Sans sent us the video.”

“Wait, what video?” She whirled on Sans, cheeks flushing darkly. “You recorded it?”

“Ah...yeah. Didn’t think you’d mind. Thought the others would like to see.”

Maddie ran a hand absently through your hair. “I don’t mind. Heh...actually it’s probably better that I didn’t know you were recording it. I’d have gotten all weird and nervous and dropped my shield on my foot or something.”

“NONSENSE! YOU WERE FANTASTIC!” Papyrus insisted, grabbing her in a side-armed hug around her shoulders. 

“I-I thought it was c-cool,” Alphys agreed. “I-it was a-almost l-like watching an anime.”

Which from Alphys was almost the height of praise, and to a long-time fan like Maddie… Well it went a long way towards relieving her embarrassment. “Thanks guys. Ooh! That reminds me! Have you guys watched Slayers yet?”

Alphys shook her head. “N-no.”

Maddie grinned. “Then you guys are in for a treat.”


	4. In Which Our Heroine Takes a Hit and Faces the Motherbeast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maddie's mom and sister come to visit and Halloween at Ebott Elementary brings an unpleasant encounter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone and welcome to chapter 4! I am so sorry it took so long to get this chapter up. I'd intended to post it on Friday but parts of it were still fighting me so I literally just got this finished.  
> Thanks so much to all of my readers (188 at last count! I can't believe it!) and a special thank you to Angel_Graco for commenting on the last chapter!
> 
> Once again, I don't own Undertale or any other song, movie, or series that I mention in this fic.

Chapter 4: In Which Our Heroine Takes a Hit and Faces the Motherbeast

What did it say about Maddie’s family that she dressed more carefully for dinner with her mom and sister than she did for any date she’d gone on in the last eight years? What did it say about her? Appearance, to Carla Taylor, was everything. You could be the antichrist but as long as on the surface you were perceived as being virtuous, nothing else mattered. Maddie had spent most of her life being carefully nudged towards what to wear, how to style her hair, how to do her makeup. Actually she wasn’t sure she would have started wearing makeup as often as she did in her university years were it not for her mother. (“Maddie, you look pale. Are you feeling okay? Maybe you should put some blush on.”)

With this in mind Maddie chose her outfit with the care and foresight of a general selecting his troops for battle. The blue silk tunic with the golden flower print and three-quarter-length sleeves was a personal favourite, whimsical enough to suit her tastes and classic enough that her mother could not complain. The skinny black belt that cinched the waist complimented the black leggings with the leather insets that she wore underneath. Her makeup she kept subtle, just a touch of mascara and smoky brown eyeliner.

Well… at least her mother wouldn’t be able to complain about her appearance tonight. It was probably one of the only things she wouldn’t complain about in her special passive-aggressive way.

Carla despaired of her daughter’s hobbies, openly stating that she was far too old to be running around in costumes playing make-believe, and was at best back-handedly supportive of her “little business”. “You need to find something that people will buy,” Carla had told her on more than one occasion. “People don’t actively go out searching to spend that much money.” Never mind that Maddie’s sales had kept her pretty self-sufficient for over a year. “Why don’t you just teach full time? It’s much more stable.” 

And her opinion on Monsters… Well there was a reason Maddie was eager to get the guys out of the house for the night. Carla may pretend support but would often spout “well-intentioned” comments that were more than a little offensive. 

“HUMAN, ARE YOU SURE YOU WOULD NOT LIKE TO JOIN US FOR DINNER TONIGHT?” Papyrus asked as she emerged from her room.

“I’d love to, really, but my mom and sister are coming over tonight,” she reminded him. Her dad was supposed to join them but he was suddenly called away for a meeting the next town over, so it would be just the three of them. 

Still she’d kill to be going to Grillby’s with the others tonight. It's worn wood-panelled walls were well-worn and homey, a hold-over from the kinda divey pub it had once been. But Grillby's had made it comfortable. Warm -- and not just because he was a fire elemental. How he managed to wear clothing, let alone avoid burning the whole place down, Maddie had no idea. When it came to monsters she was quickly learning that “just go with it” was the best attitude to have. 

“THEY MAY JOIN US ALSO!”

That...would be a terrible idea. “I think they were looking forward to a quiet night in,” Maddie hedged. “And...I don’t know if you guys would get along that well.”

“NONSENSE!” Papyrus declared. “THEY ARE YOUR FAMILY! I AM SURE WE WILL BE THE BEST OF FRIENDS!”

Given their opinion on her living with two Monsters, Maddie highly doubted that. Hell, she’d realized years ago that she would not have been seeking any kind of social engagement with them either if they weren’t related to her. Her family, that is. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. Her dad was pretty cool for the most part, and was the closest thing Maddie had had to any kind of genuine support in their house, but years of being married to Carla had worn him down. He’d learned long ago that supporting daughter against mother in any way often resulted in accusations and histrionics. In the last couple of years, he’d unfortunately just given up. 

“I’ll ah...Well, I’ll let them know the invitation is open.” And find some polite way to explain their denial, she thought as she dug into the fridge. Most of the night’s meal had been prepared ahead of time but she still had to cook it. “But you guys go, have fun tonight. Say hi to the gang for me.” 

“You know you could just come with us,” Sans pointed out. Given how evasive she was about her family he figured out pretty early on why she was trying to get rid of them for the night. All considered he’d want to avoid them too. “Ditch them. Rain check or whatever.”

“And miss an evening of passive-aggressive guilt tripping about how I’m a twenty-seven-year-old spinster? I could never!” 

“Just remember, the offer still stands.”

“Thanks Sans, but you guys go ahead. Have fun tonight.” And maybe she could get through the evening without the desperate urge to drink herself into a stupor.

“No bones about it. But give us a call if you need a rescue.”

Maddie laughed as Papyrus grumbled at the pun. “Get out of here, you two. You’re going to be late.”

“WHAT? NO! WE CANNOT BE LATE!” Complaining loudly about the rudeness of being tardy, Papyrus dragged his grinning brother out the door. 

 

Her mother was early. Of course she was. She was always early, the better to guilt her about her life choices, menu selections, and cooking skills. Maddie had gotten used to it, had planned accordingly so she had everything she could ready over half an hour before anyone was supposed to show up. As it was there was a knock on the door not ten minutes after the brothers had departed. 

That was a little too close, Maddie though as she made her way to the door. A quick check through the spy-hole told her that indeed, her mother was early. She sighted, steeling herself before pasting a smile on her face and opening the door. “Hey mom! Come on in!”

“Hi honey!” Carla beamed, sweeping into the apartment and wrapping her daughter in a tight, Chanel-scented hug. “How are you? Oh I missed you! Sorry I’m so late. Is your sister here yet? I didn’t see her car out front.”

“No, she’s not here yet,” Maddie answered. “I think she said about five thirty.” Which they both knew. She had the group texts on record to prove it. 

“Oh, well then that just means I get to have you to myself for a while!”

As if that totally hadn’t been the point, She loves you, Maddie reminded herself. She just wants to spend some time with you. The problem was that she so often wanted it on her terms, calling her up last minute in what one of Maddie’s friends once termed a ‘parental booty-call’, and laying on the guilt when she already had plans. 

“Looks like,” she smiled, locking the door behind them. “Would you like something to drink? I picked up some wine for tonight.”

“Oh just water will be fine for now,” Carla replied, moving to retrieve a glass from the cupboard. “I don’t see your roommates here.”

“Yeah, they had plans tonight,” Maddie told her, pouring a second glass of water for herself. “Meeting some of their friends for dinner and a movie, I think.” And if they hadn’t had plans she’d have found something for them to do. Anything to keep some kind of distance between them and her mother. 

“How is that going with them?” Her mother asked, deliberately casual. “The...brothers.”

“They’re awesome,” she answered honestly, a genuine smile lighting her face. “Sans is really funny and Papyrus is a total sweetheart. They actually came to cheer me on at my SCA thing a couple of weeks ago.”

Carla made an ambiguous hum. “That was nice of them. I didn’t know they would be into that kind of thing.”

“I wasn’t sure they would be either but they got a total kick out of it. We got some really great pictures. And Papyrus and Undyne offered to spar with me, which was kind of cool.”

“Undyne?”

“One of their friends. Well, my friend now too, I guess. She used to be captain of the Royal Guard. She and her girlfriend are super cool.”

“Oh, she has a girlfriend,” Carla commented, taking a sip of water.

“Yeah. Alphys is brilliant. She actually built Mettaton, can you believe it?” Well, technically built his body. Her friends had corrected her eventually, stating that the tv star wasn’t an AI but a ghost of some kind in a robotic body. However that worked. She wondered briefly if she was being cruel, talking so much about her new monster friends to her mother. She didn’t mean to be. She knew it made her mom uncomfortable but...she just wanted her to see that monsters were people too. 

“Mettaton is the robot, right? The one they had on Ellen last week?”

As opposed to the ones they had on Ellen every other week? “Oh, yeah! I forgot he was on there.” Papyrus had been so excited to watch the interview he’d sat on the couch for an hour before the show started because he didn’t want to miss it. 

“He’s a very...enthusiastic dancer. It’s great that they are putting his type on our shows. It really adds a layer of complexity to the plotlines.”

“Mh.” Maddie drained her glass, fighting down the long list of snippy, sarcastic comments that were dying to come out. She tried to tell herself that her mom didn’t mean it the way it sounded but she could never quite believe it. 

Somehow she got the conversation steered back into safer territory, which as they sank down onto the couch gave Maddie a chance to really look at her mother. 

There was some kind of resemblance she supposed. They shared colouring, the same blue eyes. From pictures she knew that she had her mother had shared the same gold-copper hair, the same soft curls. Carla had played with her hair colour often over the last several years. It had been brown for a few years in Maddie’s youth but mostly it rotated between different shades of red, and each time she got it done she complained that it wasn’t quite what she wanted. For now it was cropped short and layered so that her curls fell softly around her face. 

She looked...tired, though she’d have been mortally insulted to hear it. The downward slide towards sixty was not being particularly kind. The lines around her eyes were more evident than they had been, her skin looking dull in the light. It was a rare day when Maddie saw her mother without a layer of cosmetics on her face. Even when they went camping she refused to leave their RV without at least a coat of eyeshadow and mascara. Her lipstick was her best friend. 

Unfortunately, to Maddie’s mind, the more product her mother used to disguise her age, the more evident it became. 

Would that happen to her one day, she wondered. Would she grasp for some semblance of order in this chaotic world by trying to control the lives of those around her, trying to use their lives to reaffirm her life choices? Would she someday fight so hard for control that even time would become her enemy?

It was a frightening possibility. 

At last a knock on the door saved her from further small talk. Maddie jogged to the door, sparing a cursory glance through the peep-hole to confirm who was there before unlocking it.

“Hey sis! Come on in!” She smiled, stepping back to let her sister into the apartment.

Here was another study in contrasts. Maddie and Alexis might have been three years apart but they were the same height, her sister having caught up with her when they were in their teens. Alexis had inherited her dark hair from their dad’s side of the family but where her sister often chose bold colours she favoured the neutral. Today she wore a blue and white sweater dress that hugged her lush curves paired with smooth grey leggings and black ankle boots to protect her from the chilly fall air. Her makeup, while subtle, was flawless and Maddie knew from growing up together had taken her easily half an hour to do. 

“Thanks!” Alexis smiled, passing her sister her dark green wool coat so it could be hung in the hall closet. “How’s it going?”

“Not bad,” she answered. “Business is steady. Just got a new commission for a Victorian bustle skirt so that’s been fun.”

“Where would someone wear that?” She wondered.

Maddie shrugged. “Convention, steampunk wedding.” Burlesque show, the bedroom. She’d gotten stranger requests in the past. Actually she was pretty fond of the design. Maybe she’d use it for herself for something later. 

“Weirdos.”

It was too early to start a fight so she just made a noncommittal sound, retreating to the kitchen to pull their dinner from the oven as Carla came over to greet her other daughter. 

The herb-crusted chicken with kale and sweet potatoes came out well, Maddie thought as she plated it up. And the wine really wasn’t bad. She wasn’t a big fan of wine as a whole but her mom and sister were so she’d fallen upon the mercy of the girl at the liquor store -- who had unfortunately still decided to card her. She supposed she should be used to it by now but it was grating to know she had to make a point of dressing up a bit to keep from getting mistaken for a teenager.

A wry smirk curved her lips as she handed her mother her wine glass. Maybe she should wear her SCA gear next time, see what kind of response she got then. 

There were no complaints about dinner. Maddie might have been generally a pretty lazy cook but she was certainly a more adventurous one than her mother was. It wasn’t until she was in university that she discovered the whole new world of food that was waiting for her. It took over a year of trying to get her parents to try yam fries and over three years later she still hadn’t gotten them agree to try her split pea and coconut curry. Their loss, as it was pretty darn good if she did say so herself. 

They ate slowly, catching up on each other’s lives. Alexis was still working as a paralegal and was looking at moving in with her engineering intern boyfriend some time the coming spring. Carla couldn’t have been more pleased and dropped a couple subtle comments about the possibility of a winter wedding. Alexis gave a coy smile and said nothing. It was a shame as talk of wedding plans might have kept Carla from turning her eyes to Maddie.

“So honey, anyone new in your life?”

Crap… Maddie took a bite of her chicken, holding back a sigh. “Nope, nobody.”

“I don’t know why you’re so reluctant to date,” Carla frowned, gesturing absently with her wine glass. “Really dear you’re such a nice girl and you look so nice when you put the effort in, so nice and slim. And you have such a lovely face.”

Yes because that was all that mattered.

“Are you sure there isn’t anyone you are interested in? Ooh, Alexis, maybe Anton has a friend at work you could introduce her to! Or you know I was reading something about these meet-ups in the city -- they have them for all kinds of interest and I immediately thought of you. Oh there was that word… ‘Otaku’? What is an otaku? Are you one of those? Because I saw a meet-up next week --” 

Dear...God… Maddie couldn’t help the cringe that crossed her face. My kingdom for a spear to the face. “An otaku is a hardcore anime fan, so kind of. And I really have no interest in going to one of these ‘meet-ups’ for the sole purpose of finding myself a man. I’ve got other priorities right now.”

Priorities? What kind of priorities could Madison have? Her little business? “I’m just saying it would be nice for you to meet some people for a change, I could go with you! We could grab a table nearby and if you want to go join them. I could just pick you up later.”

Yes mom, by all means leave me in the company of random strangers. For all you know ‘otaku’ could have meant ‘pick up girls and sell them into white slavery’ and you’d still probably go for it as long as it found me a man. Maddie shook her head. “I’d really rather not. I may work from home but it’s not like I have problems meeting people. I’ve met a whole bunch of really cool people in the past few weeks.”

“People?” Her mother wondered. “Or monsters?”

“Is there a difference?”

Carla sighed. “Maddie you know there is. I’m sure your friends are perfectly nice but...they aren’t like us.”

“Aren’t they?” Maddie asked. “How do you figure?”

“Well, and I hate to say it but….oh honey just look at them!”

“Because that’s all that matters right?” Maddie retorted. “That they are scales and fur and bone and magic instead of flesh and blood. Never mind that they have done everything they could since coming up here to try and be good neighbours and have been given nothing but grief for their troubles. Never mind that after we humans locked them in the dark for X-hundred years they could have gone on a vengeful rampage the moment they came topside, but they didn’t. They’ve been more than cooperative with everything with everything that our government has asked of them, even though the bureaucracy has all but hamstrung them, restricting their rights and banning the use of magic in public.”

“Of course they banned it! What if they started using it on people?”

“When has that happened in the whole year they’ve been up here? I’ve only heard of one case of that happening -- a lone monster set upon by a dozen humans. So they used magic, not to hurt them but just to startle their attackers into keeping their distance. For all the good that did them.” The poor creature’s dust was scattered to the wind before anyone could help them. 

“They’re dangerous, Maddie! They are monsters. Monsters! The things in the dark that storytellers talk about to scare children!”

“Like they told stories about us! They have more reason to be afraid of us than we ever have of them. Human history is one long continuous tale of people treating each other as less than human because they are different. The early Christians who were persecuted in Ancient Rome, the European colonists taking Africans and Aboriginals alike as slaves, the internment camps in World War II, the eugenics and forced sterilization practices which were only banned in the 1970’s! Don't you see, Mom? It's all the same. Black or white, cis or LGBTQ, human or monster. We all live here. We should be working together, not against each other.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Carla snapped. She didn’t know what she was talking about. Eugenics, of all things! “It is not the same. We are not the same. They were human, something these Monsters will never be! They will never belong here! It would be better if they all crawled back under that mountain they came from and never came back!”

“Oh my God, shut up!” Maddie shoved herself to her feet, hands clenched to keep them from shaking as fury rang in her ears. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

Carla’s storm-blue eyes hardened to chips of ice. “Don’t you dare talk to me that way, Madison Eleanor --”

“No, you listen!” Had she ever shouted at her mother before? Really shouted? “For once in your life just shut your mouth, open your ears, and listen to what someone else has to say!”

“I am your mother--”

“And I am your daughter. Funny how that respect never seems to go both ways. But just because you are older it doesn’t mean you know any more than anyone else. It just means you are more set in your biases and I will not tolerate you spouting racist bullshit about my friends.”

“Now you listen, young lady --”

“No! I will not listen to another word from you on this! Now for once just SHUT UP!”

“HUMAN, THERE IS NO NEED FOR SUCH ANGRY TONES!”

Oh God… Papyrus! What was he doing back? Oh please don’t let him have heard all of that… Maddie turned towards the door, a deep blush of humiliation rising in her cheeks. “Ah...hey Papyrus. What are you doing home so early?”

“I FORGOT MY COOL SEXY ROBOT ACTION FIGURE THAT I WANTED TO SHOW TO UNDYNE.” Papyrus explained. “SO WE RETURNED HOME BRIEFLY TO RETRIEVE IT.”

Ugh...don’t tell me Sans heard that too…. It would be just her luck if he had. “Oh! Sans is here too?”

“HE IS DOWNSTAIRS WAITING FOR ME. BUT YOU WERE SHOUTING!”

“We were….having a disagreement,” Maddie hedged.

“STILL IT IS VERY RUDE TO YELL. ESPECIALLY AT FAMILY.”

“Oh! You must be one of Maddie’s roommates!” The outraged look of anger on Carla’s face disappeared instantly in the presence of witnesses. She beamed up at him, getting to her feet so she could introduce herself. “I’m Carla, Maddie’s mother. This is my other daughter, Alexis.”

“Ah...Hey.” Alexis looked a little stunned. Maddie couldn’t quite blame her. The sight of a six-foot-tall skeleton in a white crop top and little red shorts bursting into the room could be a little startling if you weren’t expecting it. 

“I AM THE GREAT PAPYRUS! IT’S A PLEASURE TO MEET THE HUMAN’S FAMILY!”

“It’s… nice to meet you too,” Alexis managed with a small smile. 

“Ah...Papyrus? Your action figure?” Maddie reminded him. She felt bad trying to get him to leave but as it seems he did not hear her mother’s earlier comments, the less time he spent around them the better. 

“NYEH! OF COURSE! I SHALL RETRIEVE IT RIGHT NOW!” He dashed off excitedly to his room, just missing the arch looks that Carla and Alexis exchanged before his return. “I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT I FORGOT! STILL MY BROTHER IS DOWNSTAIRS AND I SHOULD NOT KEEP HIM WAITING.”

“It was very nice to meet you, Papyrus,” Carla smiled. “Say hello to your brother and your friends from us. Maybe we can all have dinner some time.”

“THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL! I WOULD LIKE THAT VERY MUCH! GOODBYE HUMANS!” He paused at the door, adding sotto-voce to Maddie, “ALSO YOU SHOULD NOT SHOUT AT YOUR FAMILY. THEY ARE VERY NICE PEOPLE.” 

Of course sotto-voce to to Papyrus would be totally normal volume to anyone else, so Carla -- whose expression at this point could only be described as ‘smug’ -- heard every word.

The moment they knew they were alone again the polite facade that had slid into place when Papyrus had burst in vanished as quickly as it had appeared, leading them to as-yet unseen levels of cattiness.

“Oh my God, what was that?” Alexis giggled into her wine glass. It was like the over enthusiastic and unholy offspring of the early 1990’s and a Halloween store.

“That was Papyrus, one of my roommates,” Maddie answered, fighting the urge to dump her own wine over her sister’s head.

“He calls you ‘human’,” her mother scoffed. “Is his skull so empty that he can’t even remember your name? Is that really the kind of...person…you want living with you?”

“What does he even do?”

“Actually he’s an elite member of the Royal Guard,” Maddie answered with a smirk. It wasn’t entirely true but it was certainly impressive enough to shut them up for a moment. 

 

 

Sans hadn’t meant to eavesdrop. Okay, maybe he did. When Papyrus had come downstairs saying that he found Maddie shouting at her family he couldn’t help but be a little concerned. Maddie had not exactly shown herself to be prone to fits of great temper. Papyrus said, quote, ‘the human’s family is very nice. I don’t know why she was shouting at them’. Something didn’t add up. So he told his brother that he was going up to check on them.

It was technically true, he thought to himself as he stepped through the shortcut into his bedroom, where he could gauge the lay of the land.

The first sound he heard was high female laughter.

“Oh my God, what was that?”

He didn’t know that voice. The sister? 

“That was Papyrus, one of my roommates.”

“He calls you ‘human’,” her mother scoffed. “Is his skull so empty that he can’t even remember your name? Is that really the kind of...person…you want living with you?”

“What does he even do?”

Sans gritted his teeth, his hand on the door handle. Who did these cackling hens think they were, making fun of his brother? But just when he was about to fling the door open he heard Maddie cut them off. 

“Actually he’s an elite member of the Royal Guard,” she was saying in a deceptively smooth tone. 

Sans grinned. That shut them up right away.

But she wasn’t done. “He was trained by Captain Undyne herself and he’s actually one of the strongest fighters in the Underground.”

“O-oh… How about that. I never would have guessed.”

“I know, right? They still practice a couple of times a week, just to keep their skills sharp,” Maddie continued. “And would you believe he personally designed and calibrated most of the obstacles and booby traps in the Underground? Really he’s brilliant, more than I think even he knows sometimes.” 

Oh that just hit him right in the tender places. Most people looked at Papyrus and saw only the exuberant personality, the loud voice and questionable cooking skills. They often forgot that behind that grin was a brilliant mind and a strength that would give any opponent pause if he ever truly used it. And there was Maddie, who not only saw it but actively defended him against her own family.

“Well, I guess appearances can be deceiving,” her mom -- Clara? Krista? Something like that -- said. “You never can tell with monsters.”

Sans could just hear the smirk in her voice and he could just feel the magic gathering in his hands, just begging to give this harpy -- no offence to the harpies he knew -- a bad time.

“He is also one of the kindest, most genuinely wonderful people I have ever met,” Maddie said sharply. “And if either of you ever insult that precious cinnamon roll of a skelebaby again I will have to ask you to leave.”

For a moment there was nothing but silence. 

“No? Nothing more to say?” Again no response. “Okay then.” A few seconds later there was the soft clink of utensils on plates.

Sans beamed at the closed door, giving a silent chuckle. Heh… Get dunked on. Satisfied that his brother’s honor was in good hands, he vanished from the room. 

 

 

Families like hers, Maddie mused as she loaded the dishes into the dishwasher, could drive you to drink. After a night like this one she was certainly tempted, but instead elected to pour what was left in their glasses down the sink. That was not a habit she needed to pick up. She’d spent enough time allowing her mother to control her life.She couldn’t let her have power like this anymore. But was it too much to ask to have one night without some kind of conflict?

Any other day she would have vented to her roommates. Lara and Carter had known their own share of family problems and would have been more than happy to listen as she blew off steam but they had their own place now, and besides that, well… She really just wanted to talk to someone face-to-face. She didn’t want to tell Sans and Papyrus. It would only hurt them and embarrass her. It wouldn’t be the first time her mother had humiliated her in front of her friends and it probably wouldn’t be the last but the least she could do was protect her new friend’s from that kind of poison.

She had to do something, find some way to burn off this itchy, restless energy. She considered getting some work done but quickly dismissed the idea. It wasn’t a good idea to do the kind of meticulous detail work that she had left when one’s brain was still clouded with rage and shame. It was too late to go to the gym and work out her feelings on Bob the Dummy, and besides she’d let her membership expire months ago. 

After a moment of thought she moved to the living room, raising the cover of the coffee-table/storage ottoman in the center of the room and pulled out her violin case. She hadn’t played in ages but that many years of practice were not easily forgotten. Every movement from the tuning of the strings to the rosining of the bow was second nature to her and there were a few songs that she still had memorized. With that done Maddie put the instrument to her shoulder, brought the bow to the strings, and started to play. She started fast, the tune aggressive and more than a little angry. Every note was a cry of frustration -- against her mother’s careless cruelty, against her own powerlessness. The tune passed from song to song, taking bits from one and verses from another until her arms burned and she panted with the effort. 

She wasn’t sure how long she had played before she finally lowered the instrument, long enough to burn through most of her anger. What was left was sort of a hollow resignation. After a moment’s rest she started to play again, softer, slower this time. A tune of regret, of mourning for the relationship with her family that she wished that she could have had, for the friends that deserved all of the love and support in the world that she could do so little for. For the lives they should have had on the surface instead of being trapped underground. Dimly she registered the brief tingling of awareness in the back of her mind, dismissing it as the notes continued to sob from the strings. 

When she had finally played her feelings out she lowered the violin, turning around with a satisfied sigh, only to find that she was not alone.

The scream that tore from her lips could have shattered glass. She jerked back, raising the bow and violin in some kind of instinctive defencive position before she realized who it was. “Shit! Shit! Don’t do that!” She gasped, sagging back as Sans leaned against the doorframe, howling with laughter. “You guys scared the hell out of me!” 

“S-sorry,” he snickered. “It was accidental.”

“YES! WE DID NOT MEAN TO FRIGHTEN YOU!” Papyrus agreed, completely missing the pun. 

“It’s...fine,” Maddie managed as her speeding heartbeat finally began to slow. But still that odd sensation in the back of her mind persisted. Was it related to them somehow? “Sorry, I didn’t even hear you guys come in.” Hell when she was playing there were times when she was pretty sure a bomb could go off next door and she wouldn’t even notice. 

“ S’okay. When you’re really into it it’s hard to tune in to what’s going on. I didn’t know you played.”

She grinned, setting the violin in its case. “Took lessons since I was a kid. Each of us got to pick two activities, Alexis went with soccer, we both danced, and I took violin lessons. Kept at it even after school. I guess you could say music was really my forte. On a higher note, how was dinner? How’s the rest of the gang?”

“GREAT!” Papyrus answered. “UNDYNE WAS VERY IMPRESSED WITH MY NEW ACTION FIGURE! THEN WE WENT BACK TO THEIR PLACE AND WATCHED THE LATEST EPISODE OF METTATON’S NEW TV SHOW.”

“How was it? The reviews said it was riveting.” And now she was moving on to robot puns. Sans’ bad jokes were really wearing off on her. 

“IT WAS WONDERFUL!” He gushed, orange stars gleaming in his eyes. “METTATON IS VERY TALENTED. THEY ARE FINALLY LETTING HIM BRANCH OUT AND HAVE MORE DIALOGUE! THIS TIME HE--”

“And, ah--how was dinner with your family?” Sans cut in before his brother could continue his ad-nauseum praise of Mettaton’s acting abilities. Maybe he did have a bit of talent there, and a hell of a lot more range now that he no longer looked like an overgrown calculator, but after so many years of nothing but Mettaton on television he’d have been glad for a few more months’ reprieve. 

“It was...fine…” They’d probably had worse encounters….right? She couldn’t remember any right now but surely there had to be at least one. This one just...happened to have a witness for part of it. “Sorry about the scene earlier, Papyrus. You ah...came in at a bad time.”

“YOU SEEMED QUITE UPSET WHEN I CAME IN,” Papyrus said with a worried frown. “YOUR FAMILY SEEMED VERY NICE SO I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT HAS MADE YOU SO UNHAPPY WITH THEM.”

Ah, how to explain her relationship with her mother… “My mom is….not always nice,” Maddie explained, dropping onto the couch. “She has some very definite ideas on how I should be living my life and unfortunately for both of us they are not ones that I particularly agree with. Because of that we don’t always get along very well.” Years of being poked and prodded about her grades, her weight, her hair, her friends, her hobbies, her love life… Nothing was above scrutiny from the Motherbeast. “She doesn’t approve of… the lifestyle I’ve chosen.” A bitter chuckle sounded from her lips. “You know she once asked my friends to help me find a proper job because, and I quote, I am ‘clearly too lazy to do it myself’.”

The brothers looked stunned. “She said that right in front of you?”

“Pft, right. She waited until I’d run upstairs to grab a jacket before saying that. She knows full well I am over her meddling so she tried to be ‘subtle’ about it.” Insert sarcastic air-quotes here. “It didn’t even occur to her that they would tell me what she said the moment she was gone. And today she was…….worse than usual. I can take her thinly-veiled criticisms in small doses but… I shouldn’t have to. I’m almost thirty, for God’s sake! She should have enough respect for me to let me make my own choices. That’s why I was yelling.” It was all technically true, she rationalized. She’d just left out the part about her mother being a bigot. 

“Hence the playing,” Sans guessed with an understanding nod.

Maddie shrugged. “Well I figure it was better than drinking myself into a stupor. Which, to be clear, is not something that I have done before in response to her crap but I was tempted. But that’s why I picked a night that I knew you would be out for them to come over. I didn’t want you to meet them. Alexis reports pretty much everything back to Mom so she was a no-go and Mom...she embarrasses me. I was afraid of what she’d say to you.” But the damage was done now. She’d done what she could but….she could only defend her friends when those being cruel to them did so in front of her face. Unfortunately her mom and sister were very rarely up-front about their snide comments. 

“I AM SORRY THAT YOUR FAMILY IS UNKIND TO YOU” Papyrus said, dropping onto the couch beside her and pulling her into a tight hug. 

She shifted, resting her head against his shoulder and returning the hug, allowing herself just for a moment to bask in that kindness and unconditional love that Papyrus seemed to radiate wherever he went. “Thanks.” When she at last pulled away she was smiling, probably the first genuine one she’d worn all night. “And you know...it’s okay. I mean sure, mom kind of sucks but I have the best friends a girl could ask for. The family that I chose. I have you guys.”

Let the Motherbeast do her worst. Let her try to set Maddie up with every human male in Ebott. Let her expound upon her failures to everyone in town. As long as she had her friends at her back, she would be okay.

“Now, enough of my emo-tude!” Maddie declared shoving to her feet. “What say you to big bowls of cookie dough ice cream as you tell me how the rest of tonight went?”

 

 

To Maddie’s immense delight she was called to substitute at Ebott Elementary over the week of Halloween. Like most elementary schools in the area the kids would come to school in costume and in the afternoon there would be a school-wide party. There would be games, sweets, prizes, and a massive costume parade that all of the students and teachers would take part in.. 

Maddie had been debating over what to wear all week. Nothing with face paint -- that would never last the day. She couldn’t use one of her steampunk outfits either because cool as they looked she did not want to be riding herd on a gaggle of sixth-graders all day while wearing a corset. A lot of her other costume were either a little much to wear to an elementary school -- so no shell bikini, thank you Disney -- or something with a reference the kids might not get, and that would take the fun out of everything. 

She frowned, surveying the explosion of textiles that covered her room. She had to have something… Then her eye fell on a bit of fabric that was just visible within her supply box. It was about a meter and a half square and the pale green of new leaves. The remnant from a past project, she’d always intended to make something from it but had never gotten around to it. But now…

The class was studying Ancient Greece in history class, she remembered as she held it up to the light. She could make a decent kyten out of it, and surely she had some kind of gold cording or something that she could use as a belt. Add a couple of small matching brooches and voila! 

It was only the next morning as she got ready that she thought of putting a beige bodysuit underneath, Draped fabric and knotted rope do not a secure garment make, after all, especially in an elementary school Better safe than scandalous. So she dug that out along with a pair of leather sandals that laced up her calf -- those she’d put on when she got to school. It was still October and while still fairly warm it was definitely too cold to go essentially barefoot. Her hair she tied up in a high ponytail, weaving a few skinny braids throughout. The old prop quiver from a cosplay years past she slung over her shoulder as a finishing touch. 

Finally deeming herself ready, Maddie did a slow turn in front of the mirror and grinned. “Hell yes. Who’s the goddess?”

Of course Sans and Papyrus were more than a little confused.

“Uh...What’s with the outfit? I thought you were teaching today.”

“I am,” she answered, grabbing the lunch she had prepared the night before from the fridge. “It’s halloween.”

“Isn’t that a kid thing?” Sans asked, confused.

“History-wise, no. Contemporary mainstream culture-wise…. That is up for debate.” She’d started making her own costumes when she was twelve and had worn a different one almost every year since. There were enough halloween events through university to give her the excuse to keep dressing up, and after that she dressed up to hand out candy at home. And if she were being totally honest she would totally still go trick-or-treating if she could get away with it, age be damned. “But all the teachers are dressing up today too, and since the class I’m covering is studying Greek Mythology I thought hey, Artemis!”

“OOH! IS ARTEMIS A FAMOUS WARRIOR?” Papyrus asked, peering excitedly at the arrows in her quivver.

“You could say that, yeah.” Though for the sake of not being late for work she’d avoid going through the Marvel and DC mythos. “In Greek Mythology she was the goddess of the hunt…..and a bunch of other things. She was also a patron goddess of children, which I thought was kind of appropriate.” Being a teacher and all.

“How many gods did you guys have?” He’d found a couple of tattered old mythology books in the Underground but they were missing more than a few pages… and had frankly been just weird to read. The ancient humans had gods for every darn thing, and their heroes…. Well if they considered people like that Heracles maniac ‘heroes’ it was no wonder there were so many messed up humans. 

Maddie snorted. “Hundreds. Hell, probably thousands -- for everything from drunken partying to sports. Makes for cool stories though. Anyway, shouldn’t be home too late. Sans, you got a show tonight?” 

Sans shook his head. He’d started doing comedy shows a couple of months before after starting up a conversation with one of the rare humans that visited Grillby’s, one who happened to own a club just off the university campus. It was small but did reasonably steady business and didn’t turn up its nose at serving monsters among their clientele -- or putting one on stage. “Not tonight. Club’s undergoing some renovations so they’re closed the next couple days. New windows and stuff.”

“Boo! That sucks.” She frowned. “I was going to drop by if there were any ticket left. I wanted to see you perform.”

“Maybe next time, kid.” Once they repaired the broken windows and repainted the walls. While the club owner and its patrons were cool, sadly there were others that were not. “Movie night instead?”

Maddie let out a cheer as she snagged her coat from the hall closet. “Hell yes! Hocus Pocus for sure -- that one’s a classic. That one’s more funny-scary so Papyrus you should like this one.” And it meant that she would actually sleep sometime in the next month. “I watch it every year. Buffy -- for campy 80’s goodness -- and….Ooh Addams family!”

“WHO IS THE ADDAMS FAMILY?” Papyrus wanted to know. “WILL THEY BE JOINING US FOR MOVIES? I WOULD LOVE TO MEET MORE OF YOUR FRIENDS!”

Didn’t she wish. Being friends with the actual Addams’s would be awesome if really, really weird. “It’s a movie, Paps,” she chuckled. “Or rather a series of movies. And a couple of TV shows. Kind of a halloween classic. Anyway, gotta go. See you tonight?”

“GOODBYE HUMAN! HAVE A GOOD DAY WITH THE LITTLE HUMANS!”

“Bye boys! See you later!” And with a final cheerful wave she ducked out the door.

 

The school was a madhouse when Maddie arrived, overrun by princesses and superheroes, pirates and spacement and everything in between. Even the monster kids had gotten into it. She spotted MK running through the halls with a pair of small dragon-like wings strapped to his back and right behind him was Frisk.

Are they... She let out a delighted laugh at the sight.

The little ambassador wore a short breastplate made of craft foam and blue shorts over a black full-body leotard painted with white bones. Red slipper boots covered their feet, slapping cheerfully on the polished linoleum floors as they ran, their red scarf flying behind them like a cape. 

Maddie made a mental note to get a picture of them later, for Frisk was dressed as Papyrus. 

She started the day’s lessons with a pop quiz. The announcement was met with disappointed groans, quickly turning to cheers when she told them that not only would it not be for marks, but if they got the question right she would give them one of the mini chocolate bars from the box that she had brought with her. The question: Who is Miss Taylor dressed as? To her delight every single student got it right. Of course it helped that there was a poster with images of the Olympian pantheon on the wall beside the chalk board. Still, what did it matter when the prize was candy?

Surprisingly the morning didn’t drag as much as it could have. Maddie kept the lessons going, using her arrows in place of the meter stick that teachers had been using as a pointer stick since the dawn of forever. And if she threw in an almost obscene amount of halloween- and costume-related jokes, well...she could always blame Sans for being a bad influence on her. 

It wasn’t until the party started in the afternoon that she caught sight of Toriel. She was stationed near the beanbag toss game in the school gymnasium, a look of utter delight on her face as she gazed out over the flood of students. Two large, spotted, pillow-like things hung at her front and back, a tasseled graduation cap perched jauntily between her horns. 

Maddie grinned, taking her place at the toilet-paper-mummy race station next to her. “Hey Toriel! Love the costume! You’re a real smart cookie.”

The monster queen smiled back, a light pink flush rising under her fur as she absently brushing her hands over the pillow-cookie at her front. “Thank you, dear. I couldn’t resist the pun.” That was something that had been a bit surprising, that Toriel was every bit of fond of corny jokes and puns as Sans. “Your costume is lovely. Did you make that?”

She nodded. “I had a bit of a costuming crisis last night and threw it together. I’ve got the sixth graders so I thought hey, cute and ties in with the lesson plan. My room looks like DragonCon exploded at this point but that’s not exactly an uncommon state.”

“I can see that you really love this holiday.”

“My absolute favourite day of the year, no bones about it,” Maddie agreed. “You and Frisk doing the trick-or-treating thing tonight?”

Toriel nodded. “I thought we would. They have been so excited to show off their costume.” It had been well worth the late nights and battles with the silly foam sheets to see her child so excited.

“It’t one of the best parts about halloween. Heck I’d still be going door to door myself if it wasn’t utterly weird for someone my age to do. But you should stop by our place if you have time. I’m sure the guys would get a kick out of your costumes-- Oop, here comes the hoard. Okay kids, who’s up for a mummy race?”

 

It took longer than she would have liked to make the classroom presentable again after the party. There were candy wrappers everywhere -- and more than a few of them were under her own desk -- decorations hanging haphazardly from the walls, streamers dangling sadly from their tacks. Maddie gathered the trash into a plastic bag, hauling it out the door with her as she left the classroom. 

All hail the goddess of trash, she thought with a grin, dragging it to the refuse bins around the back of the school. With that dealt with she turned towards the parking lot, pulling her phone from her coat pocket and shooting off a quick text to Sans. 

We still on for movie marathon?

Maddie was still waiting for the response when she spotted Frisk and MK waiting by the staff parking lot. Toriel must be running late with the clean-up. She might as well keep them company for a bit. 

But as she made her way across the schoolyard she saw a tall figure approach them. Just going by their build and clothing -- blue jeans and a heavy jacket -- they were male but as she drew closer she realized that what she had once taken to be facial hair was actually the painted beard of a Guy Fawkes mask. Maddie picked up speed. 

For a moment it seemed her concerns were unfounded, but then the man took a step forward and she saw Frisk step protectively in front of MK.

Shit…

Frisk held up their hands in a gesture of ‘hang on, let’s talk about this’ but the man wasn’t having it. He stepped in again, giving the child a shove that sent him falling back a step. 

Oh hell no! Her first reaction was to just run up and drive her fist into the asshat’s face for harrassing her students but she held herself back. Lawsuits would not help anyone in this case. Instead she called out, “Frisk! MK! Sorry for keeping you waiting!”

The man looked up, taking a step in retreat, trying to play himself off as non-threatening. As if a strange man hanging around an elementary school in a mask did not set of all the alarm bells, even if it was Halloween. 

Maddie jogged towards them, coming to a stop just beside Frisk. “Hey guys, sorry I took so long. You guys ready to go?” 

MK looked startled. Frisk blinked, then gave a small nod, playing along. 

“Come on, MK.” Maddie glanced back towards the man. “I’m sorry, can I help you?”

“How can you be okay with exposing our children to this filth?” The man snarled.

She blinked. “I beg your pardon?”

“These...things! They swarm out of the mountains like locusts, they steal our homes, our jobs…” The man shook his head. “They corrupt everything with their hellish magic and you actually want our kids around that?”

“The only filth I see is a hate-spewing turd in a mask who’s too big a coward to show his face,” Maddie responded frostily. 

“You little bitch--”

“Oh I’m sorry. I must have been mistaken. How brave a man you must be bullying a couple of little kids. Your neighbours must sing heroic ballads of your great deeds on cold nights --” 

She wasn’t expecting the fist that plowed into her face. The impact knocked her back a couple of paces but she somehow she managed to stay on her feet. Frisk made a sound of distress and moved to stand in front of her but Maddie raised a hand, holding them back. 

“Don’t, Frisk,” she said softly, levelling an icy glare at the masked man as she wiped the blood from her split lip with her free hand. “Congratulations asshat, you just proved my point. Now do yourself a favour and get out of here before I press charges for assault. And if anything, anything at all happens to these kids, it’s you I’m coming for. And when I do I will mount your head on a pike and display it next to the flag in front of the school.”

“You---you’d never find me. You don’t even know --”

“Who you are? What you look like? True..” Before he could stop her Maddie snatched the mask from his face, tossing it to the ground. “But now I do.”

He was so...average. Late thirties, maybe early forties in age, with sandy blond hair and narrow grey eyes. He was the kind of unremarkable person that one passed on the street every day without a second glace. The only thing about him that stood out was the look of undisguised hatred on his face. 

“Tough luck, V. Time to give up your vendetta. Now get out of here before I call the cops.” When he hesitated she took a menacing step forwards. “That means now.”

For a moment the man looked like he was going to protest and Maddie braced herself for a fight. Then with a muttered curse he turned on his heel and stomped away. They watched in silence until he was out of sight and it was only then that they let out a quiet sigh of relief. 

“You guys okay?” Maddie asked, turning to face her students at last.

They nodded. “That was awesome!” MK declared, bobbing in place excitedly. “Thanks Miss Taylor!”

Are you okay? Frisk sighed quickly, their face tight with concern.

“Yeah…” Mostly, but it was entirely possible that she was a little bit in shock. Her sparring matches in the SCA were one thing but having someone actually want to hurt you was something very, very different. She touched one fingertip gently to her split lip and flinched at the sting. Well...this was going to be fun to explain when she got home. “Did he hurt you?”

Frisk shook their head. 

“Thank God…” At last the tension that had ruled her body since she first saw the man approach drained away, turning her knees to rubber. She sank to the ground, taking a long breath to steady herself. “Thank God.” 

Never in her life had she felt terror like that -- the gut-clenching, blood-freezing kind of fear that blocked out anything else. Not for herself so much but for Frisk and MK. What would have happened if she’d come outside a few moments later? Frisk wouldn't have been the first human targeted because of association with monsters and MK….. He didn't even have arms to defend himself with. If that asshole bigot had gotten by Frisk MK would have been almost totally helpless. If something had happened to him, to either of them, she’d never have forgiven herself. 

Are you sure you’re okay? Frisk asked, crouching down next to her. She’d taken on that man without backing down but now she just looked pale and scared, her freckles standing out like spots of ink on her face. Even MK was worried, giving her a slight nudge with his head as he didn’t have arms to hug with.

“Yeah,” Maddie answered, as much for herself as for them. “I’m okay. Sorry guys, that got a bit scary didn’t it?” But it could have been worse. So, so much worse. She sighed. “We should go inside, tell someone what happened.”

Frisk nodded, then threw their arms around her in a tight hug. Thanks Maddie.

“Any time, kid.”

 

It was hard to say who was more upset by the incident, Toriel or Principal Matthews. They sat the three of them down in the staff lunchroom, the principal grabbing an ice pack from the freezer for Maddie’s split lip as they described what happened. As far as MK was concerned Maddie was practically spewing lasers at the masked man and had to be talked down a bit. Frisk’s description was a lot closer to the truth, though Maddie went scarlet with embarrassment when they told Toriel how she threatened to mount the guy’s head on a pike in front of the school.

“I -- uh -- may have got a bit overboard,” she admitted sheepishly.

“Given he’d just assaulted you I think we can give you a pass on that,” Principal Matthews commented, trying not to smile. It was a hell of a thing to happen at his school. He knew the risks he’d taken, what people might say when he accepted monsters as part of the faculty and student body -- he’d actually lost some staff because of it, and a few parents had insisted on transferring their children to other schools -- but all things considered it had been going so well until now. 

“I am just so happy that you were there to keep them safe,” Toriel said softly. “I was later than I intended to be. If you hadn’t come out when you did…” History might have repeated itself. They’d been through so much already, lost so much over the centuries. She didn’t think she could bear to lose another child. 

Frisk, sensing the source of their mother’s distress, hugged her tightly. We’re okay mom. Everything turned out okay. We’re safe.

“Still, something will have to be done,” the principal said, half to himself, as he ran one hand through his thinning grey hair. “Miss Taylor, are you sure you don’t want to press charges?”

“Given that I don’t know who that creep was, I don’t think I could even if I wanted to,” she answered. “But I think we should keep this as quiet as possible, at least for now. I’d hate to give anyone else any ideas.”

The principal nodded. “A valid point.” Still, action had to be taken. “I will send out an email tonight, schedule a staff meeting tomorrow morning before classes start. Once we tell them what happened I’m sure there will be a few who will be willing to take some before-and-after school supervision to make sure our students are protected.”

Maddie and Toriel nodded. It was a good plan for the interim but if things ever escalated...they needed some kind of plan. 

Principal Matthews sighed. “Well, I’d better get to it. Maddie, are you okay to go home?”

“I shall walk her to her car,” Toriel offered. There was, after all, safety in numbers. And it would be a foolish human who would threaten her loved ones when she was around. 

“Okay then,” he nodded. “I guess I’ll….see you tomorrow.”

When they were finally alone Maddie sighed, sagging back against her chair. “Well...that was fun. I guess we should head out. God, I don’t know how I’m going to explain this to the guys. They’re going to lose it…” Papyrus would be so worried and Sans...oh he’d just be pissed.

Frisk tugged on his mother’s sleeve, pointed at Maddie. Toriel nodded. “You’re absolutely right, my child. Maddie, if you permit it I might be of some assistance. Due to our continued negotiations with your government I am still not technically allowed to use magic, so I will be unable to heal your injury completely however I still may be able to do something to lessen your pain.”

An excuse to see more magic? That was almost worth getting punched in the face. She smiled, flinching as the movement pulled her split lip. “That would be awesome. Thanks so much Toriel! I promise I won’t tell anyone.”

“That is appreciated, thank you.” Toriel stepped towards her, reaching out to lay gentle fingers across the girl’s mouth, and closed her eyes, calling upon her magic. She put aside her feelings of unfairness -- that she should be so limited by the humans’ fear when she could so easily heal this wound entirely, that this was all she was allowed to do for the friend who had defended her beloved child -- and focused instead on warmth and care. 

Maddie tried to watch to see what was happening but only succeeded in making herself cross-eyed. For her there was nothing to see but the white fur of Toriel’s hand so she closed her eyes as well. No, there was nothing to see, but plenty to feel. There was the impression of gathering, and a slow release of energy. The brief sting of her injury, quickly replaced by a calming coolness that was a hundred times more effective than the wilting ice-pack in her hand. All around her was a feeling of comfort and warmth that she had mentally come to associate with the monster queen. 

After a couple of minutes passed Toriel pulled away. She was far from satisfied but given the limitations of the situation this was the best that she could do. Still, it was better than it was. 

Maddie brought her own fingertips to her mouth as Toriel stepped back. “Oh, that is much better. Thanks Toriel!” It felt like it had already spent a couple of days healing, enough that she could actually smile now without it cracking and bleeding. 

“Think nothing of it, my child,” she smiled. “I only wish I could have done more.”

“This is plenty,” Maddie reassured her. “Though maybe...can we keep what happened between us for now? I don’t want to scare the others.”

“Are you sure? I believe they care for you very much and would what to know what happened today.”

“I care for them too, which is why I’d prefer not to tell them for now. They’ll worry, and I don’t want to do that to them. You’ve all got enough to deal with without adding me to the mix. And there’s nothing more that we can really do right now wo...can we just not say anything?”

What will you tell them? Frisk asked with a small frown.

“I dunno. That I tripped or something.” She shrugged. “It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve done something like that.” Hell, once while doing high jump in gym class she accidentally kicked herself in the face and gave herself a fat lip. Then there was the day where they were doing track events indoors and she triple-jumped herself into a wall...four times. “Maybe I’ll say I fell down the stairs.” 

Toriel frowned. “If you’re sure…”

“I think it’s for the best. I’ll tell them if it comes to it but for now…”

“If you insist,” the queen sighed. “Come, it is getting late. I will walk you to your vehicle.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed that last chapter. It came out much longer than I intended (27 pages!!), which has caused me to shuffle around some of the minor events that I had planned. Stay tuned everyone cuz things are about to get very interesting. 
> 
> And if you notice any errors please let me know and I will correct them :D
> 
> Also if you enjoy my writing please check out my webcomic, Grace Under Pressure, at www.graceunderpressure.tychismedia.com


	5. In Which Our Heroine Makes an Error in Judgement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maddie discovers something cool and takes it farther than she should.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my darlings!  
> Welcome to the latest chapter of The Final Save. Almost 250 of your have read this fic and I am so so grateful to all of you for your comments and kudos. 
> 
> As always, I own nothing. Not Undertale, any of its characters or designs, nor any other series or song I reference here.

Chapter 5: In Which Our Heroine Makes an Error in Judgement

It was a mark of her own clumsiness when the brothers believed Maddie when she told them that she had fallen down the stairs. As grating as it was that she was such a spaz that her excuse was accepted without question, she accepted it for it gave her the result that she wanted. Papyrus of course had been worried, but better that he be concerned about her tripping over her own to feet than afraid of her being attacked in the street. 

As the next couple of weeks passed the incident was all but forgotten and Maddie turned her attention to other things. After being woken yet again by that strange static charge in the air she was determined to figure out what was causing it. It was like that tiny itch she got in the back of her brain, but on monster steroids. 

Monster… could it really be that simple? Maddie wondered as she flicked off her sewing machine for the day. Was it her friends’ magic she was reacting to? And if that was the case….. She thought back to those nights that she had woken --- Does that mean that what woke me was…. Sans?

It made sense. Both nights she had left her room to investigate only to find the shorter skelebro parked in front of the TV watching netflix. And now that she thought about it she often did get that weird fuzzy feeling right before he got home. It would be a good way to test her theory too -- by trying to predict when her roommates were home. 

Papyrus, she knew, was in the living room. She had introduced him to a bunch of puzzle-based video games a few days before and after spending two days straight on Professor Layton it was safe to say that he was absolutely hooked. He’d spent most of the previous night talking about golden apples and the fictional town of St Mystere. It was just so cute seeing him get so excited over the game. His enthusiasm was infectious. You just couldn’t help getting excited right along with him. 

Maddie could feel him there, if she tried. Or at least she thought she could. It was impossible to tell for sure whether she could really sense him or just thought she could because she already knew he was there. Hell, the last cheer he let out was so loud that their neighbours probably knew he was there too. 

She’d just have to wait until Sans got home.

In the meantime, she thought, checking the clock on her phone. It is definitely dinner time.

“Hey Papyrus, you hungry?” She asked, making her way to the kitchen. What did they even have to eat? She really had to do a grocery run…. “Have we eaten the tortellini yet?”

“THAT IS THE NOODLES LIKE STUFFED SQUARE SPAGHETTI, YES?”

“Ah...yeah.” Kind of. It was as good a description as any. Maddie shrugged as she opened the fridge. “Aha! Cool. Still here. Tortellini it is.” That made dinner easy. Boil water, toss in pasta for ten minutes, stir occasionally, and done! “Actually remind me next time we have people over to deep-fry these. They are hellaciously unhealthy that way but god, they’re good.”

Papyrus paused the game to turn and stare at her. “YOU DEEP FRY PASTA?”

“Sometimes,” she laughed. “Pan-frying is great for leftover spaghetti and stuff but when it comes to tortellini the deep fryer is where it’s at. Really good with bits of crushed pretzel and some panko breadcrumbs.” They were also made really good cold leftovers the next morning. 

“THAT SOUNDS DELICIOUS! THOUGH IT IS NOT SPAGHETTI.”

“Nothing is spaghetti.”

With the water on the stove to boil Maddie started setting the table. As she laid out the plates she almost asked Papyrus if his brother would be home soon but stopped herself just in time. That would have defeated the entire purpose of her experiment. So as she continued setting the table she kept her senses open -- or at least that was what she was trying to do. It was weird, like trying to flex a muscle that she wasn’t entirely sure existed. But whatever she was doing it seemed to be working as a few moments later, while she was draining the pasta, she felt that familiar fuzzy sensation in the back of her mind. 

Three...two...one…

There was the scratch of a key in the lock, the click of the tumbler, then the door swung open. 

“Hey. I’m home!”

Hell yes! Test one, success! Maddie grinned, doing a mental happy-dance. “Hey! Good timing. How was work?”

“Meh,” he shrugged. “It was work.” Quiet. But he’d gotten a few good naps in so at least he wouldn’t fall asleep on stage -- which he was forced to admit almost happened once. 

“PROBABLY FELL ASLEEP AGAIN,” Papyrus commented, decimating another game puzzle.

“You know me, bro -- sometimes I just get so bone-tired that ---”

“AUGH! NO! CEASE YOUR AWFUL PUNNING!”

Sans snickered. As much as his brother despaired of his puns he knew he enjoyed them. “You know you love me.”

“YES I DO, WHICH IS WHY I FORGIVE YOU, SANS.”

Maddie chuckled, shaking her head. “Well now that that’s settled, dinner’s on. Would one of you mind -- oh, thanks Sans!” She smiled as a trio of plates floated out of the cupboard. Magic sure is handy…. And she started to wonder… if she could sense magic, maybe, just maybe…..could she do magic as well? Theoretically it wasn’t impossible. 

Of course she’d tried before. What fantasy nerd hasn’t at some point in their lives? And of course nothing had happened but things were different now. Sure she had absolutely no idea where to start but what did she have to lose?

That night Maddie lay in the dark of her room, raising her hands to face each other. Most of the novels she read said that light was the easiest thing to create with magic. Shame most of them didn’t describe any theories on how to go about doing it. Trial and error, it seemed, would be the order of the day. 

She closed her eyes, focusing her energy into the palms of her hands. Her fingertips tingled, as if she had been sitting on them too long and they had fallen asleep. But no light. So she tried again. And again. And again.Still her efforts produced nothing but exhaustion and a killer headache. 

It was only your first try, Maddie reminded herself as she rolled over, settling herself for sleep. Of course it hadn’t worked on the first try. Frankly she’d have been astounded if it had. But if it really was possible…. I won’t give up. She promised herself. I will find a way to make it work.

Her attempts at magic became part of her nightly routine. Put on her pjs, brush her teeth, read a few pages of whatever book she was working on, play with magic. It was an often frustrating process, like attempting to grab a handful of wind on a still day, causing to question whether she’d ever be able to do anything at all. Maybe magic in all its wonders was something that was completely beyond her. Maybe it was something that she was never meant to have… But she didn’t want to give up. She wanted to keep trying. Though it would have helped if she had any remote idea what she was supposed to be doing but all she could do is trust her instincts and hope they lead somewhere. 

So Maddie kept trying, every night, and quiet moments when she knew she was alone. And there were days when she felt like she was making progress, when she thought she saw something glow between her hands. 

Then one early December afternoon, it happened. Frisk was coming over after school because Toriel had parent-teacher interviews and a late staff meeting so Sans and Papyrus had gone to pick them up, leaving Maddie some extra time to continue her practice. Sitting cross-legged in the middle of the living room something had just...clicked, opened inside of her, leaving her holding a tiny ball of blue-white light. Her eyes went huge and bright with elation. She’d done it...somehow she’d figured it out. She could do magic… Real, actual magic. 

There was the sound of a key in the lock and she jerked to her feet. The light vanished as her concentration broke but she brought it back as she dashed to the door. 

“Guys! Guys look!” She beamed, holding out one hand as the tiny circle of light hovered over her palm. “I figured it out! Look! Isn’t it--” 

The words died when she saw their faces. The brothers staggered back, eyes glowing vibrantly blue and orange in the shadow of the doorway, bodies braced for attack with Frisk pushed behind them.

The light died. God, oh God how could she be so stupid? Humans doing magic, of course they were freaked out! Maddie stepped back, raising her empty hands in the universal gesture of ‘I mean no harm’. “Sorry! I’m sorry! I totally forgot. I didn’t mean to freak you guys out. It was just a little light ball I swear.”

Neither of the brothers moved. Frisk however peered out from Papyrus’s legs curiously. 

“Ah...Hey kiddo.” Maddie stepped back, retreating into the living room. “Sorry. I wasn’t thinking. I’m going to just…..grab some water…” Calling herself a thousand kinds of moron she ducked into the kitchen. Her hands shook as she took a water glass from the cupboard and held it under the dispenser on the fridge.Stupid! Stupid! How much of a thoughtless idiot can you be?

There was a moment’s tense silence before she felt the charge of magic fade from the air. It was still there, so intrinsically part of their bodies that it was always there, but at least they weren’t prepped for a fight anymore. 

“Hey Papyrus, why don’t you show Frisk the new action figures you got.” Sans’ voice was low, even, utterly controlled. Shit, he was really pissed. 

“THAT’S GREAT IDEA!” Papyrus exclaimed enthusiastically. swooping the child off the floor and placing them on his shoulder. “I GOT A SHELF FOR THEM AND EVERYTHING!”

But even as they retreated down the hall Sans’ gaze never left Maddie.

She sighed, taking a shaky sip of the water she’d poured. “Look, I’m sorry. That was thoughtless. I was just --”

“What the hell were you thinking?” He hissed, cutting her off. “Magic? What the hell are we supposed to think?”

“I was just… curious. I wanted to see if I could--”

“Well you can. Congratulations. You’re officially a threat to every single Monster on Earth.”

Maddie drew back a step, eyes wide at the accusation. “I would never--! Sans I would never do that. You know me. I wouldn’t--”

“Save it,” he spat. “The magic stops. Now.” His left eye glowed a menacing blue in the shadows of the kitchen.

“No more magic,” she agreed softly. “I promise. I’m going to um… I’ve got to go out. I’ve got some errands.” She stepped around him, not meeting his gaze as she headed for the door, pulling her coat off the hook. “I don’t know when I’ll be back so...Have fun with Frisk. There’s...I think there’s some leftover pizza in the fridge if you want it.” Blindly she reached for her purse, pulled on her shoes. Then she was out the door. She didn’t stop until she was locked safely inside her car, where she buried her face in her hands. 

 

 

Maddie didn’t know how long she drove aimlessly around the city. Every time she stopped somewhere to think, to breathe, she started up again a few moments later. Idiot! Why? Why did you have to do that? Wasn’t it enough to know it was real? To have Monsters living with you who used it so casually? Why wasn’t that enough for you? But no, you just had to try to do it yourself. And now you’ve ruined everything.

It wasn’t until she reached the university campus that she finally got out of her car. She hadn’t been here in years, not since she herself had graduated a few years before. But she had been comfortable here, and she found herself ducking into the library just as snow began to fall from the overcast sky. The front desk was empty, the stacks nearly so as she headed for one of the private study rooms, shutting herself inside. She’d just stay here for a while….until she thought things out. Until she could bring herself to face them again. 

They probably all knew by now, she thought bitterly as she dropped into the desk chair. Of course they did. A community like that...they couldn’t afford not to spread the word. She wondered what they would do. Leave probably. They couldn’t risk two of their own boarding with someone like her, even if she had sworn not to use magic again. It made sense, even if it hurt.

Damn it she should have known better than to start playing around with it. She’d just wanted it so badly--the dearest wish of her childhood, her secret dream as an adult--that she hadn’t thought about the consequences. She’d have never used it to hurt anyone, not ever. She just wanted to do...something. Just to see if she could. 

With a soft sigh she booted up the desktop computer. It was a few years old and slow with it, causing Maddie to wonder absently when the last time was that someone had defragged it. She’d probably be here for a while. Might as well do it herself. 

So there she stayed, mindlessly checking through her social media accounts, watching youtube videos and wondering when the other shoe would drop.

 

She woke the next morning fuzzy and disoriented. She wasn’t at home so where…. And then she remembered. The magic. The pride. The fear on their faces as Sans and Papyrus pushed Frisk behind them… Right. She had fallen asleep at the library, curled up between two chairs that she had pulled together.

Her phone was ringing. Grimacing as her back popped and cracked Maddie checked the caller I.D. It was Toriel, and from the look of things she’d called twice already. Resigned, she accepted the call.

“Hey Toriel,” she said softly. “Sorry I missed your call earlier.”

“Child, where have you been?” Only Toriel, who was goodness-knew how old, could make her feel like a worrisome child again. “Are you alright? Frisk told me that you did not come home last night.”

How had they---? Oh, right. Monster phone. “Yeah I’m….okay,” she answered, running one hand guiltily through her sleep-tangled hair. “I’m at the library right now. Thought I’d give them some space after…. Guess I fell asleep.”

“They were worried about you. We all were.”

Maddie flinched. Yeah, I bet. Worried I was going on a magical rampage throughout town with my tiny little light ball. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry anyone. I guess...they told you what happened.”

There was a pause, then Toriel replied carefully. “Frisk said that you used magic.” She’d finished her meeting to find that she had no fewer than six messages from Sans confirming it. She’s a mage, Tori. A fucking sorceress! She played us.

“Ah...yeah. Toriel I’m so sorry. I wasn’t thinking. I swear I would never--”

“Perhaps...it would be best if we spoke about this face to face.”

And there it was, the Royal Summons. Maddie bowed her head. “Yeah… I’ll be right over.”

She sighed, ending the call. Damn it… Why couldn’t this be a video game? She could spool back to the last save point and keep this from ever happening. But she couldn’t. It was real and it was time to face the consequences. 

 

 

The first thing the monster queen noticed when she saw Maddie outside of her cottage was that the child had had a rough night. She was listless, dark circles carved under her eyes, and she seemed to be holding back a flinch every time she was spoken to. Even Alphis, whom Toriel had invited to give her opinion on this turn of events, seemed bold by comparison. For a moment she felt a maternal surge of pity for the girl, but forced herself to push it aside. If this woman was a danger… well she would just have to see. 

Maddie had hardly said a word since arriving, but for a brief hello to her and Alphys, but when Toriel placed a mug of hot tea in front of her and took a seat across from her at the kitchen table, the dam that seemed to hold her words back fractured and burst. “Thanks…. Toriel I am so sorry. I wasn’t thinking. I never meant for this to happen. I just wanted to-- I would never--”

Toriel held up one furry hand, cutting her off. “Perhaps… it would be best if you started from the beginning.”

The beginning. It was a while back, but she supposed it was fair. Her friends...they wanted to leave. Find another host. Of course they did. But they had to know whether she was really dangerous or not. She slid a brief nervous glance to Alphys, who it seemed would be recording this little conversation, then out the window of the cozy little kitchen at the softly falling snow, and let out a soft sigh. An interrogation was an interrogation no matter how homey the trappings. 

“I grew up with magic. Not real magic, but stories of it, good and bad. A lot of us did. Fairy tales where the light always won and there was happily ever after. And I wanted so badly for it to be real… To be able to use it myself, to help people. As I grew up I kind of accepted that it was just make-believe, but still… I hoped. And then the mountain opened up and all of you came out. You brought magic back to the world. Real, actual magic. I was fascinated. So when the call went out after the fire requesting host families… I jumped.”

“And it was wonderful,” she continued with a wistful smile. “Sans and Papyrus… they’re great. They’re funny and they’re sweet.” And okay Sans could sometimes be a bit reserved but who could blame him? “And I really thought… maybe we were really becoming friends.” She paused, turning her mug absently in her hands, considering how to tell them the rest. “Papyrus doesn’t use his magic at all but Sans will on occasion. And I could...feel it. Their magic. I’ve done it before, picked up on the energy signatures of places, even people sometimes. And the more time I spent with Sans and Papyrus the more clearly I could feel their magic. I knew when they were close by. The way I can kind of feel yours. And so… I wondered. If I could feel it like this...maybe… maybe I could do magic too.”

It was stupid, foolish. Dangerous. “I’d never have used it to hurt anyone,” Maddie said quickly, looking between Alphys and Toriel. “I swear I wouldn’t. I just…. I wanted to try. And people are so weird about you guys using magic in public I thought if something happened...if we were ever in a situation where you were in trouble and couldn’t use your magic…. maybe I could help.” She sighed, running one hand absently through her disheveled hair. “Which is stupid, I know. I just started….making it up as I went along. I had no idea what I was doing. I just kind of went with it. And yesterday….I made light.” 

For a moment they just stared. Then Alphys spoke. “W-what did it f-feel like?”

A soft smile curved her lips at the memory. “It was beautiful. Tiny and bright and warm, the size of a nickel just floating there in my hands. I was so happy…. I thought… I thought maybe we could study it, Alphys.” She gave the tiny drake a watery smile. “Compare the difference between human magic and monster. Real magical theory. And maybe even convince the knobheads-that-be that your powers aren’t dangerous. ” She sniffed, absently rubbing her stinging eyes with the heel of her hand. “And when the guys came home a minute later I didn’t even think. I was so proud I just ran to the door…. like a kid showing off their report card. “ She chuckled bitterly. “I should have known better. They were terrified. And they were angry.” Glowing eyes and ready postures. The first time she’d ever felt that they would cause her harm. 

“They pushed Frisk behind them.” Now she looked up with heartbreak in her eyes. “Toriel please, if you believe nothing else I’ve said today please believe me when I say I would never hurt Frisk. I would never hurt any of you, but especially Frisk.” That had hurt more than anything, for them to believe that she would ever harm that small, determined, beautiful child… She loved them, plain and simple. How could Sans and Papyrus think that she would ever hurt them?

Maddie sighed, her gaze falling back down to stare in dull horror at her own hands.. “They were afraid of me. They honestly thought… I put it out immediately. The light. Papyrus got Frisk out of the way but Sans… he was furious. Said I was a danger to all of you. I never… I never wanted to hurt any of you. I promised… no more magic. And then…. I left.”

After a moment of stunned silence Alphys piped up. “C-can….can you s-show us?”

Maddie stared, then shook her head. “I can’t. No more magic…. I promised. No more light, no more attempts at shield bubbles, no more trying to float my TV remote, no more...anything. Just because the person I made the promise to isn’t here doesn’t mean that I can break it.”

Alphys and Toriel exchanged looks.

“I’m… I’m going to give you guys a minute,” Maddie decided, pushing herself back from the table. 

“Maddie--”

“It’s okay,” she reassured them with a half-hearted smile. “You guys could probably….use some time. Figure out maybe...what you think we should do. I get it. I’m fine.” Numbly she pulled her coat from the back of her chair and headed towards the kitchen door to the back garden, where they’d be able to keep her in view. Wouldn’t want them to think she was running away. “I’ll just be out here.”

Neither Toriel nor Alphys said a word until the door closed behind her. They watched as the girl crossed the snow-blanketed garden path to sit listlessly on the bench that had been installed against the western fence, and bury her face in her hands.

“What do you think, Alphys?”

“M-me?” She turned off the recorder with one scaled talon. Honestly? The scientist in her was thrilled. An entirely new form of magic to experiment with! One that she had never thought that she would have access to. The monster in her…. was more than a little wary. She knew as well as any who had been born in the Underground how dangerous human magic could be, the risks that came with allowing its resurgence. “She...she s-seems s-sincere…”

The Queen sighed. She thought so too. But could she really take that risk? Just because one magical human meant them no harm did not mean that others would feel the same. She was one of the few who remembered the dark times before the erection of the barrier, the bloody war between their two species. She knew what would happen if anyone else learned what this child could do. For now the information was kept between their closest friends. If it got out…It could be the end of everything. 

 

 

Maddie sighed leaning her head back against the cool stone wall gazing blankly at the grey sky above her. God she was tired. Physically, emotionally… She wondered what they were saying inside. She wondered what they would do. What they could do. 

Maybe there was a way to take it away. To seal up her magic so there would be no risk of hurting them. It hurt to even think about but if it kept them safe… If they could ever trust her again… It would be worth it. 

For a moment there was the muffled scraping sound of something being dragged over the paving stones, then a small voice spoke. “So you’re the human who can do magic?”

She turned. There in the middle of the path was a small yellow flower with a smiling face. A buttercup? In December? Sure it was kind of an unseasonably warm winter in Ebott but there was still a bit of snow on the ground, too cold for flowers. For a moment she just blinked. A flower was talking to her. An actual…. Okay, all considered not that weird but the way her brain was twisted right now she wondered if she’d finally just lost her mind. “Ah...yeah. Kind of. I’m Maddie.”

The flower waved one leafy arm and grinned back at her. “Howdy! I’m Flowey. Flowey the flower.”

Flowey? Well she supposed that made sense given he was a fully sentient talking flower. “Nice to meet you Flowey.” She said, reaching out to shake his…..leaf. 

“So is it true? You can really do magic?”

“Sort of? But… I don’t do that any more.” Just what was that feeling, that cold crawling down the back of her neck?

“Really?” The flower tilted its head curiously. “Why not?”

She shrugged. “Because I promised.”

“But magic is fun!” The flower insisted. “Why would you give it up?”

“I don’t want to hurt them,” she confessed. “They freaked out when they saw so I promised Sans--”

For a moment something malevolent came over the flower’s face, gone so quickly Maddie wondered if she had imagined it. “But Sans isn’t here.”

“A promise is a promise.” Maddie shrugged again. “It doesn’t matter.” Or at least she was trying to convince herself that it didn’t. “Besides, I couldn’t do much anyway. It was just so...Interesting. I wanted so badly to know how it worked. My magic, yours…”

That seemed to really capture the flower’s attention. “Golly, maybe I could teach you,” Flowey offered. “How our magic works. That wouldn’t really be doing magic, would it?”

“No...I suppose it wouldn’t.” But something did not feel right. She was...scared? Somehow something about this little tiny yellow flower scared the crap out of her. Chiding herself for foolishness, hoping to make an escape anyway, Maddie pushed herself to her feet. “I’m going to see what Toriel and Alphys think.”

“Why? We could start right now.”

She’d barely taken a step before a tearing pain in her chest had her vision going grey, the world reduced to black and white save for the glowing blue heart in front of her, the colour of the summer sky. Oh God, it hurt. She tried to fight it, tried to pull the little heart back inside her chest where it belonged, but to no avail. 

“See that?” The flower asked brightly. “That little heart there is your soul.Pretty, isn’t it?” Blue for integrity. Pathetic. But oh so much fun once broken. “This is how we see you, we Monsters. Your souls on display for all to see. But yours is so weak. You LV is only at 1. And what’s LV? LV is LoVe.”

Why did it sound so twisted when he said it? As if it was something to run from. Maddie gritted her teeth, trying desperately to pull her little blue heart back in, but all she managed was to get it to move back and forth. 

“And how do you increase your LV?” A handful of tiny silver pellets appeared around him. “Well, let me show you. Catch.”

Maddie jerked her little heart to the side, narrowly avoiding the projectiles that he spent spinning her way. She had a feeling she didn’t want to know what would happen if they ever hit.

“Now that’s not very nice,” he chided. “Why did you dodge? Let’s try this again.”

But again she dodged. 

“You’ve already figured it out haven’t you,” Flowey said mildly. “Well then…. I guess I don’t have to hold back any more.” His smile, which had been so pleasant until now, widened into a terrifying sneer.

A halo of silver bullets surrounded her heart, closing in until there was nowhere left to run. The first impact was like a bullet to the chest and when the others hit she doubled over, coughing up blood. 

The flower cackled with glee. “Come on,” he dared. “Fight back. You with your human magic. I know you can.”

Fight back? She was barely managing to stay upright. A soft tap and she’d be on her knees. She had nothing to fight back with. And she hadn’t had time to tinker any more with her shield idea. All she had was a tiny ball of light. At best she might be able to use the flash to distract him… But she wouldn’t use it. Not even now. She promised. “Don’t need magic… to fight,” she ground out. Gritting bloodied teeth against the pain she raised her head and spat at Flowey’s feet...er, roots. “Just give me… good old-fashioned… weed killer.”

Flowey’s eyes flashed dangerously. “I can’t believe you are so stupid! You won’t even fight back! You’d rather die than break your promise to that smiley trashbag.” Another hail of silver bullets shot her way, not in a circle this time but in clustered pot-shots. He was toying with her now. Either way he would win. If the idiot human broke her word she would have used magic to attack a monster at the Queen’s own home. And if she died…. he would get her soul and all the magic that came with it.

And she knew it too, knew that trap that she had fallen into. But he could not make her break her word. Death before dishonour. What a cliche. A wry smile twisted her lips at the thought. “Heh… Guess so. Who knew.” 

God it hurt. It hurt to breathe. It hurt to think. Each beat of her heart was another wave of pain. And now she was going to be killed by a flower. The bullets kept coming and each time she avoided one it was by a smaller and smaller margin. She was going to be murdered...by a flower. By a goddamn possessed buttercup. A hysterical giggle sounded from her lips.

Flowey paused in his next attack, utterly incredulous. “Are you...laughing?”

She couldn’t help it. It was just so ludicrous. She was about to die at the hands -- leaves? -- of a flower! Monsters were real, she could do magic, and she was going to be killed by a buttercup in a terracotta pot painted with smiley faces. Talk about dead-heading. The resulting snort of laughter had her battered ribs crying but she just couldn’t make herself stop. 

“Stop-- stop that!”

“Make me,” she dared suddenly, her grin almost as mad as his. “But you can’t. You can’t make me do anything. Go ahead. Kill me. Do it!” He was going to do it anyway. There was a strange kind of freedom in knowing that, in knowing that it would all end the same no matter what she did. “But you can’t make me stop. I’m going to get killed by a flower and that’s fucking insane so I’m going to laugh about it until I don’t have a single breath left in me and you can hurt me all you want but you can’t make me stop and and you can’t make me break my promise.” Maddie laughed again. “So you see… I win.”

The flower’s smile stretched into a gruesome mask, his eyes blazing. “You can’t win if you’re dead.”

There it was again, the halo of silver bullets. Maddie closed her eyes, bracing for the impact that would end everything. 

There was a sudden rush of heat, a short scream, and then…. Nothing. 

The stubborn force of will that held her upright yielded and she fell to her knees, the battered blue heart that was her soul returning to her body. But there was no pain. Well, no that wasn't exactly true. She was in more pain than she’d ever been in but somehow she was alive. 

Hardly daring to believe it Maddie opened her eyes. Toriel was rushing across the yard, a blazing fireball in hand, Alphys trailing behind her.

Goat mom… Is a badass. Who knew? Her giddy brain supplied. Her vision, which had returned to full colour when her soul returned to its proper place, flickered sickly.

“My child, are you alright?”

She wanted to wave it off, to tell them she was fine, but her body refused to move. “I didn't do it,” she managed, her voice barely audible as at last they reached her.

“D-didn't do what?”

She smiled through bloody lips as the world fell sideways. “I didn't break my promise.” 

And it all faded to black. 

 

 

Sans wasn’t sure how much more he could take, how much longer he could pretend that nothing was wrong. He had just finished leaving a series of messages for Toriel when Frisk and his brother emerged from the other room, action figures in hand.

“BROTHER! COME AND JOIN US!” Papyrus invited enthusiastically. “WE ARE ABOUT TO ENACT -- WHERE HAS OUR OTHER HUMAN GONE?”

Crap. “She...had to go run some errands,” Sans answered casually. “Said not to wait up.”

“DARN! WE WERE HOPING SHE WOULD HELP US PLAN OUR BATTLE SIMULATIONS!”

“Sorry guys. Maybe she’ll join you next time.” If there was a next time. Which there wouldn’t if he had anything to say about it. Intentions or not she was a danger to all of them. If anything happened…. Sans shook his head. He wouldn’t watch his brother die again. Not ever again. They’d have to leave. They’d make some kind of excuses, but no way in hell were they staying.

He almost didn’t notice when Frisk tugged his sleeve.

You okay?

He nodded, pasting his usual grin on his face. “All good here, kid. You ready for some pizza? Maddie said there was some in the fridge.”

Frisk through their hands up in a silent cheer. 

Would she really have hurt the kid? He didn’t really think so. Pulling Frisk behind him had been instinct, one it seems that his brother had shared. And of course he had stepped in front of them both. Nothing mattered more than them. 

He felt… Betrayed. She knew, had to have known, what the resurgence of human magic would mean for them. They had just regained the surface after centuries trapped underground. All it would take is some magical bigot on a bender to destroy the lives that they had built. Why couldn't she just have left well enough alone?

Damn it they’d have to talk when she got home. It wasn’t wrong to retreat a bit into their own space. And she had given them hers. She’d be home eventually.

But hours passed and still there was no sign of Maddie.

7 o’clock: Maybe she called up a friend. Grabbed dinner.

9 o’clock: Maybe they got drinks after. Papyrus and Frisk turned in for the night after a bedtime story.

10 o’clock: Where the hell was she? Casual inquiries made with the rest of the gang. Nobody has seen her. Promised to message when he knew.

11 o’clock: He wasn’t worried. He wasn’t. He was annoyed. How long exactly was she planning to hide? Toriel called back. Yes, there was magic. Yes, they were all safe. No, she still wasn’t home.

1 o’clock: He fell asleep, phone in hand. 

6 o’clock: Woken by nightmares. Timelines and magic and dust-covered hands. Maddie still wasn’t home. Okay maybe he was a bit worried. He’d read somewhere that when humans were upset it could affect their driving. Had she gotten in an accident? Called Toriel. Oops, she was asleep. Still no sign of Maddie.

9 o’clock: Toriel called. Found Maddie. She was heading over to talk to her and Alphys. Good. Now he could tell the kid and they wouldn’t have to worry. 

They were watching Bugs Bunny cartoons a couple of hours later when Toriel called again. She sounded upset, something that had Sans’ magic freezing in his bones.

“What is it? What did she do?”

“Nothing,” Toriel reassured him hastily. “She did nothing but… she’s hurt. I’ve healed her injuries and she’s sleeping now but I thought you’d want to know.”

His brother and the kid were staring at him now. Sans nodded. “We’ll be over in 20.”

 

 

The first thing that Maddie became aware of when she woke was that she hurt. She hurt all over.But that was a good thing… right? It meant that she was alive. She had to be cuz if she still hurt this badly in the afterlife she had a serious bone to pick with whomever was in charge. Hardly daring to believe it, she opened her eyes. 

Someone had brought her inside, laying her out on Toriel’s soft living room couch. Quiet voices sounded from the kitchen behind her. Curled up in the chair across from her was Frisk. Seeing that she was awake they scrambled to the floor, darting around the coffee table to crouch beside her.

“Hey buddy,” she said with a small smile, wincing as she tried to pull herself a bit more upright. “Guess they called in the whole gang, hey?”

They nodded, hands flying in frantic signs. Are you okay?

“Yeah.” Mostly. But Frisk looked so concerned she couldn’t bring herself to tell him the truth. “I’m sorry Frisk. Must have given you a scare there.”

Not scared. They signed. Worried. Mom said you fought with Flowey.

It took her a moment to figure out the name, and even the thought of the little flower had a shiver running down her spine. “Wasn’t much of a fight,” Maddie admitted. More like an ass-kicking. God, she’d gotten trounced by a flower. How embarrassing. “Your mom showed up in the nick of time.”

She saved me too.

Maddie frowned. “Flowey went after you too?”

Frisk nodded.

Oh now she really needed to get herself a bottle of Kill-X. Attacking her was one thing. Going after a sweetheart like Frisk? Hell no. She hoisted herself up into a sitting position, biting back a curse as her battered body complained. “Something has got to be done about him. And he--heck, he’s a flower. How’d he even get here?”

Didn’t want to leave him behind.

“So you brought him up here to be with all of the others,” Maddie finished softly. “So he wouldn’t be alone.”

Frisk nodded.

Maddie smiled, reaching out to ruffle their hair. “You’re incredible, you know that? I wish there were more people in the world like you.” And if Frisk’s embarrassed blush wasn’t the cutest thing in the world she didn’t know what was. “I’m sorry...if I scared you yesterday.”

Frisk shook their head. I wasn't scared. You did magic!

“Ah...yeah. I thought if something happened…maybe I could help.” She sighed, sagging back against the couch. So much for that idea. “I forgot that the Monsters might be a bit...uncomfortable with it.”

The child frowned. They’d been so startled when their friends had pulled them back it had taken a moment for them to figure out why too. But why? Maddie would never hurt them, any of them. They were scared.

“You know I’d never hurt you, right?” Maddie asked softly. “Any of you. All I wanted was to keep them safe. And now… God they’re never going to trust me again.” 

They are friends. Friends trust.

“Yeah but they don’t trust me.” And if that was the case were they ever really friends to begin with? It hurt to think about, but under that hurt was a bubbling layer of mad just waiting to surface. Gritting her teeth, Maddie shoved herself to her feet.

“My child, please be careful!” She turned to see Toriel standing under the archway to the kitchen. “Your body needs rest.”

“I’m fine,” Maddie replied softly. “Thanks for saving me from becoming plant food.”

Toriel looked distinctly uncomfortable. “You should not be thanking me. I should have been watching more carefully.”

“You couldn’t have known that was going to happen.” Or could she? Maddie couldn’t help but wonder as she looked beyond to the others gathered in the kitchen. Alphys sat quietly at the table with Undyne leaning casually against the counter behind her. Papyrus sat next to Alphys and she could just see Sans leaning tensely against the archway. “Hail, hail, the gang’s all here. Guess it was time to let the Round Table in on what happened.”

“HUMAN, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? THE TABLE IS CLEARLY A RECTANGLE!”

“I believe she was referencing the human myth of King Arthur and his knights, correct?”

“Great,” Undyne snorted. “Now mind explaining to the rest of us what the hell is going on? Toriel said you were using magic.”

Maddie fought manfully not to roll her eyes. Instead she just sighed. “Yes, I did magic. It was a tiny little light ball. And I was so da-rn --” She corrected, mindful of Frisk standing right behind her. “--pleased with myself I showed it to the skelebros, forgetting that oh wait, humans doing magic might be a concern. So they freaked out. Which I told Toriel already, and which she has probably already explained to you. I swear I never did it to hurt anyone. I just wanted a way to keep you guys safe. But nobody believes that.”

“W-we never s-said --”

“You didn’t,” Maddie cut her off. “But it was definitely implied. You guys actually thought I would hurt you, would hurt Frisk. I took a fist to the face for them a few weeks ago and you actually thought I would hurt them.”

“Wait, what?” Undine cut in, biting off a curse. “When did this happen?”

Sans frowned. “The day you came home with the split lip. You said you fell down the steps at school.”

“I lied,” she shrugged. 

A man tried to hurt me and MK, Frisk signed. Maddie protected us and he hit her.

“What?!”

“W-why d-didn’t you s-say anything?” Alphys asked.

Maddie shrugged again. “I did. Why do you think there are school faculty members stationed outside before and after school now?”

“She meant why didn’t you tell us, nerd?”

“I didn’t want to worry you. I didn’t want you to feel like… like you were hurting me, being around. But this, these last couple days? That hurts. I nearly died today because I wanted to keep my freaking promise to---” A cold chill came over her, settling like a ball of ice in her gut. “Was that…. Was this some sort of test? Some sort of twisted test to see if I would keep my promise? Toriel….did you ask Flowey to attack me?”

Toriel drew back slightly as the others burst out in protest. She held out a hand to silence them, then shook her head. “No, Flowey’s actions were his own.”

Maddie sighed softly. Thank goodness.

“However… I feel I must tell you that had I true doubts about your intentions… I would have attacked you myself.”

For a moment Maddie stared, then shook her head. “You’re queen, whether you want to formally claim the title or not. You’d do what you have to to protect your people. I get it. But I won’t apologize for asking.” Even though there was a part of her that desperately wanted to. 

“And I won’t apologize for considering it.”

That was fair. She understood even if she didn’t like it. “But I am tired of not being trusted. I get that you guys have your histories and have bonded together even more closely up here but… I don’t understand what I could have done to make you think I would ever hurt you. Aside from simply being human.” They didn’t deny it. How could they? “I mean, God, you’ve been to the apartment, ate my food. Two of you even live with me. If I was going to hurt you don’t you think I’d have done it by now? Poisoning a batch of cookies would have been a hell of a lot easier than teaching myself to do magic, don’t you think? I thought that we were friends but at the first sign of trouble you closed ranks and I became the enemy and I can’t accept that.”

She sighed. “God, I am so... tired. I’m tired of being threatened and attacked. I’m tired of being left out.” Tired of feeling sad and angry and betrayed. Still she almost smiled when Frisk put their hand in hers and it gave her the courage to finish what she had to say. “I will abide by whatever you decide about what to do with my magic but you have a decision to make: trust me or don’t, because I am done trying to win you over. I’d like us to be friends but if we can’t… then I think we need to make some changes to the living arrangements. I won’t be made to feel like a freak and a nuisance. If I wanted that I’d still be living with my parents.”

For a moment none of them said anything. Then Alphys stood up. “M-maddie--”

“Don’t.” She stepped back, shaking her head. “Okay? Just...don’t. I can’t do this anymore. I’m going home.”

“Dear are you sure you should be driving? It is---”

“I’m fine.” She snapped, turning away and releasing Frisk’s hand. A quick glance around told her that someone had left her purse beside the couch at her feet. She swept it up, fishing for her keys as her eyes stung. “Let me know what you’ve decided. Just...text me...or something.” She had to get out before she broke down completely. Somehow she pasted on something that resembled a smile, ruffling Frisk’s hair. “Bye kid. I’ll...I’ll see you later.”

The drive home was a blur. How she managed to get back to the apartment without getting in an accident she wasn't sure but at this point she was hardly inclined to care. Instead she made her way silently up to the third floor. 

The apartment was empty, dark. Of course they wouldn't have beat her back but there was still a small part of her that wished they had. She squashed it down ruthlessly. She’d grown so used to having someone there. Maybe it was time to get used to being alone again. 

Maddie kicked off her shoes, shedding her jacket as she made her way to her room. The rest of her clothes followed on the way to the ensuite. The sight of her own reflection had her jolting in surprise. She looked like hell. Eyes shadowed and bruised, auburn hair a tangled mess. Exhausted. Defeated. Like she hadn't slept all night and was almost killed that morning, something that still hadn't seemed to have sunk in yet. 

She reached over to the bathtub, turned the water on hot before taking a brush to the copper haystack that was her hair. She needed….. She didn't know what she needed. She needed to be alone. She needed someone to talk to. But there was nobody she could tell. 

When her hair was finally untangled she twisted into a lazy knot at the top of her head and stepped into the water. It was almost hot enough to burn but somehow she couldn't bring herself to care. Maybe she’d get lucky and melt away into the water. It would be nice not to have to feel anymore…

 

She didn't know how long she stayed in the tub. She wasn't even sure what time she got into the tub. At some point she might have even slept. She wasn't sure. Time didn't mean very much right now. All she knew was when she stood to dry off the water was just cooler than room temperature. 

She looked…better, she decided as she towelled herself off, taking the elastic from her hair so it fell loosely down her back. A little less tired anyway. It was a start. 

Wrapping herself in her fluffy bow-printed robe she padded out through her room, all senses on alert for any movement. Silence. She was alone. Or that's what she thought until she came out into the hall and saw the plate of spaghetti sitting on the table.

They must have come home while she was in the tub. They weren't here now though. She could sense that much. (Did the sensing count as magic too? Did she even care?)

It was still warm. They must have left it recently, a peace offering of sorts. She didn't want it. She didn't want to eat anything at all but after skipping supper yesterday as well as missing breakfast and --yep, lunch too. Was it really 5 o’clock already? -- she knew what it meant. She had to make herself eat whether she wanted to or not. She couldn't let herself go down that road again. 

Well… At least she wouldn't have to cook, though she wondered absently how they'd managed to make this any tidy up without her knowing they were home. In true Papyrus style the kitchen was spotless. And, she noted as she dropped onto the couch and took her first bite, the spaghetti was great. And glitter-free. 

 

She wasn’t sure what it was that woke her. It might have been the soft thump of footsteps in the hall or it could have been the tingle of magic in the air. She should probably get up, talk to them, but the couch was just so comfy....

There was the scrape of the key in the lock and the door swung open, letting in the light of the hall.

“Look!” Came Papyrus’s whisper-shout as he spotted the plate on the coffee table. “The human has eaten the spaghetti!”

“Bro, you gotta’ be quiet. She’s asleep and I don’t think she really wants to talk to us right now.”

That might be true but she should still probably do it. Freeing her arm from the warm cocoon of blankets Maddie raised her arm, giving it a lazy wave. “Hey guys.”

She didn’t have to open her eyes to know they flinched. “Ah...hey. Sorry we woke you. Go back to sleep.”

“Nah, don’t worry about it.” She pushed herself upright, dragging the heel of her hand over her eyes before reaching over to turn on the lamp on the coffee table. “Probably shouldn’t sleep on the couch like this anyway, even if it is the comfiest nap couch ever.”

For a moment nobody moved or spoke, then Maddie sighed. “I guess we should probably talk, huh. I’ll make some...hot chocolate or something.”

“Nah, I got it. You sit tight.”

“BROTHER, NO! YOU MAKE IT WRONG! THE GREAT PAPYRUS SHALL MAKE THE HOT CHOCOLATE!”

“Whatever you say, bro.”

Maddie chuckled, shaking her head. It really was impossible to stay mad at someone like Papyrus. He was just too nice. She wondered if he was keeping up the bright chatter to keep the awkward silence at bay. She thought perhaps he was. In some ways he was even more sensitive to that kind of thing than she was. 

The mug he put in front of her a few moments later was loaded with cocoa, enough to create a dark sludge on the bottom that she’d be eating with a spoon later. They sat diagonally from her on the L-shaped couch, unsure of what to say.

“Look--” Sans began after a moment of tense silence.

“I’m sorry--” Maddie spoke at the same time. 

“Wait...what?”

“I’m sorry,” she repeated, holding her mug in her lap. “I shouldn’t have yelled at you guys.” Her phone had been blown up with messages since she left. The only one she had responded to was Frisk, telling them she had gotten home alright. 

“No, it is we who are sorry,” Papyrus said, his voice uncharacteristically quiet. “You were right. We were unkind. We should have trusted you. Friends trust.”

“We’d like to start over… if that’s okay.” He almost wished for a reset. Almost. No, scratch that. No more resets ever. But he still wanted to fix it. 

“I’d like that too. But...Wait, no puns?” Maddie teased as the weight of the last day finally fell from her shoulders. “No ‘throw us a bone’ or ‘we miss you a skele-ton’?” Okay those were pretty bad but she couldn’t resist. 

“Augh! No!” Papyrus wailed, burying his face in a throw pillow.

Sans just chuckled, a lazy smile on his face. “Not this time. Gotta say we were getting pretty bonely without you though.”

“Brother, stop! I am begging you. It is too late for puns.”

“It’s never too late for puns,” the other two answered in unison.  
“But seriously, though,” Maddie continued. “I should have talked to you guys before I started… Playing around. I got so excited, so carried away by the ‘what if’ so… I’m sorry.”

Sans gave a small nod. Nothing much they could do about it now but see where this new development took them. “You going to talk to Alphys?”

“Yeah,” she answered, taking a sip of her cocoa. “I should probably give her a call in the morning. Set something up.”

“Probably should. You know she’s actually kind of excited about it right?”

Maddie blinked. “Is she really?”

“Well, yeah. I mean it’s a totally new field, right? And, you know -- a real, live magical-girl….”

Maddie let out a bark of laughter. “Hey, if I suddenly get my own magical, glittery transformation sequence, she will be the first one to know. I’ll call her in the morning.” Smiling at the thought, she couldn’t help the yawn that broke through. “And on that note, I think we all need some sleep. ‘Night guys.”

“G’night.”

“GOODNIGHT HUMAN!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading everyone! I hope you have enjoyed it. This chapter was fighting me a little bit so if it seemed a bit rushed in the beginning... Well that's why haha. And I figured it's already 20 pages so I didn't want to jam too much in there. 
> 
> If there is anything I've made an error with, or if something does not make sense, please let me know.
> 
> Thanks again everyone! Love you!


	6. In Which the Real Work Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magic practice begins, the King pays a visit, and the need for shields is underscored.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone!  
> I am so sorry this chapter took so long to update. I just got a new job and have also been working non-stop trying to get product made for a booth that I will be running at a convention this August. Chapters may come a little slower for the next little while, especially as I will be moving in the next couple of weeks, but I will do my best to keep updating for you all as often as I can.  
> Also if you like this fic, please check out my webcomic at graceunderpressure.tychismedia.com, or follow me on tumblr at graceunderpressurecomic
> 
> As always, all characters and series mentioned are property of their respective owners. I own Maddie. That's about it. 
> 
> Thank you all for reading! I hope you all enjoy this latest installment!

Chapter 6: 

Undyne was conflicted. It wasn’t something that happened often. She was a fairly black-and-white sort of person. There was law and there was crime, there was right and there was wrong. And the shades of grey, well they fell into one category or another eventually. Things had gotten a lot more complicated since coming to the surface. In the Underground if you were attacked, you fought back using whatever you had available. She couldn’t do that here. The human government feared the monsters and the magic that they had brought with them.

She wondered how they would feel about human magic. 

She couldn’t decide how she felt about it herself. She had been raised on horror stories of the wicked human sorcerers who had banished her people underground, knew as well as any what the rise of human magic could mean. And if they decided to fight…. There was no happy ending, not for the monsters. It would be a slaughter. Anyone who was left would be sent back up the mountain. After so many centuries in the dark, after finally seeing the sun and the sky, to force them back underground would be the height of cruelty. She probably wasn’t alone in thinking it would be better to die than to be trapped again, now that they knew what they would be missing. 

But, Undyne reminded herself. Not all humans were like that. Frisk hadn’t been like that and she didn’t think Maddie was either. It wasn’t exactly the worst thing in the world that the first human they’d heard of to discover their magic was a friend of theirs. Despite their initial misgivings about magic as a whole she knew Maddie wouldn’t hurt them. And, if she were to be honest, she was a little excited about the possibilities. She’d been so disappointed when they’d reached the surface and she discovered that things she’d seen in the anime she’d watched with Alphys weren’t real. No giant mechas, no badass female warriors with giant buster swords… Totally heartbreaking. But this...this could be the opportunity to do something awesome! They could essentially grow and train their own magical girl! 

She had to admit the idea had some appeal. And Alphys… Alphys would be over the moon.

That settled it, Undyne thought with a decisive nod. If Maddie decided to meet with Alphys about this whole magic thing, she was totally coming along. It was, after all, her duty as a Royal Guard.

 

Maddie made arrangements to meet Alphys at her lab the next day and was not surprised to find Undyne waiting for her as well. It wasn’t just that she was protective, though of course she was, but Maddie knew that she was wildly curious as well, both as the Captain of the Royal Guard and on a personal level. Real human magic. Would it be anything like the anime that she and Alphys watched? How dangerous would it really be for them?

“Hey nerd. How you feeling?” She asked when Maddie poked her head into the room.

“Ah...not bad.” She’d woken up feeling like she’d been hit by a truck and had barely been able to drag her sorry butt out of bed. Thank the Heavens that Papyrus had bought a huge box of spider donuts for breakfast. Forget aspirin, monster food was the best. “All considered. Sorry about the spaz attack yesterday.”

Undyne shrugged. “Water. Bridges.” 

“H-how a-are Sans and P-Papyrus?” Alphys asked.

“Significantly less freaked out than yesterday,” Maddie answered with a small smile. “We talked it out last night so we’re good there. Still agreed for now I should probably restrict the magic to our lab sessions to avoid the possibility of blowing up the apartment.”

Undyne’s good eye lit with interest. “You can make things blow up? Hell yes!”

“Ah...no,” she laughed. “Far as I know the little light ball is just a little light ball.”

“Never know unless you try. Whip it out, nerd.”

Maddie let out a soft choking sound. “Ah...Undyne...you know what that means, right?”

“It means ‘show us the damn light ball’.”

Maddie leaned in, whispered in Undyne’s ear, causing a deep azure blush to rise in the woman’s scaled cheeks. 

“WHAT?! No! Augh! No! God no!” She protested, waving her hands in denial. 

“Thanks Undyne,” Maddie snorted. 

“I mean you’re great and you’re a cute human but I’ve got my own cute little girlfriend here and ----no! Just no.”

“How about I just bring up the little light ball and we forget this awkwardness ever happens.”

“Please. Please let’s forget. And what are you giggling about?” She asked Alphys, who had hidden her own scarlet face in her hands.

“N-nothing!” She squeaked. “M-maybe w-we should g-get started?”

“Probably for the best,” Maddie agreed, running one hand sheepishly through her hair. “Ah...here…” She held out her hand, narrowing her focus until a tiny ball of blue-white light hovered over her palm.

“Ooh!!” The monsters leaned in so close that their noses almost touched it.

“I-it’s warm,” Alphys commented, reaching out to touch it with one clawed finger. 

“Wait!” Maddie yelped, jerking her hand back. “It’s just light to me but...what if it hurts you?”

That sobered her slightly. “O-oh...g-good point…” She retrieved her pen and a notepad from her desk. “Do you think it would?”

“I don’t know,” Maddie admitted. “I don’t want it to but that doesn’t mean it won’t. We don’t know how my magic would react with yours.”

“Well, one way to find out.” Before anyone could stop her Undyine reached out and grabbed the light. 

“Undyne--!”

The light, which had been dimly visible between her fingers, flickered out. “No! It’s okay. Bring it back.”

“...are you sure?”

“Of course I’m sure,” Undyne scoffed, holding up her hand. “Look, no damage. Bring the light back, punk.”

“Are you sure you’re sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure. Make with the magic, nerd.”

“Okay, okay,” Maddie laughed, calling up the light again.

“H-how d-does it feel?” Alphys asked as her girlfriend reached out to touch it again.

“Warm,” she answered, admiring how it glinted off her scales. “Like you said. Not hot or anything, but...comfortable.”

“Like...s-sunlight,” Alphys agreed, reaching out to touch it herself. Not the scorching summer kind but the spring kind, on that first warm day when you knew that winter was finally over. “H-how long d-does it last?”

“I don’t know,” Maddie admitted. “I’ve only done it a couple of times. It’s not...draining or anything. It just takes a lot of focus.”

“S-so if I a-asked a-a question--?”

“Oh, I get where this is going! Hey nerd, spell your name backwards.” 

“What? Ah -- E-I-D-D-A-M,” she recited. The light flickered, then steadied again. 

Alphys made a note. “S-so it requires a-a lot of c-concentration.”

“Ooh! Ooh! Can you make it explode?” Undyne asked.

Maddie laughed. “Probably not.”

“Try it! Throw it at….that chair!”

She glanced at Alphys, hoping that she might be the voice of reason that would keep her lab from being destroyed. No such luck as the little drake watched raptly, pencil at the ready. “Ah...okay.” She reached out, making a tossing motion towards the little rolling stool. The ball of light wavered towards it then disappeared upon contact.

“Lame,” Undyne sighed. “What kind of magical girl are you?”

“The kind that wishes that magical girls were real and that she hadn’t passed the ages specified in every manga ever a decade ago.” Maddie replied with a rueful smile. “Sorry Undyne, I don’t think I’ll be getting any magical transformation sequence any time soon.”

“I repeat, lame.”

“I-is that as f-far as y-you can m-make it go?”

Her range for throwing the light was about six feet, and it was easier to maintain while holding a conversation than it was when they asked her math questions. It took a bit of convincing but eventually Maddie allowed Alphys to attach some electrode-type-things to her head and chest to monitor her heart and brain activity. Much to Undyne’s disappointment she couldn’t blow anything up with the little light ball, but it could be cranked up to almost blinding. The effort left Maddie mentally exhausted and seeing spots, but a hit from the monster candy that Alphys kept stashed in her desk had her feeling good as new. 

“This stuff is amazing,” Maddie sighed in relief as the headache that had been throbbing behind her eyes finally abated. “Magic food is the best kind of comfort food.”

“C-comfort food?”

“Stuff to eat that is usually not very healthy but easy to make that makes you feel comfortable or sentimental when you eat it,” she explained. “Grilled cheese, meatloaf, that kind of thing. Monster food beats those all to hell.”

Undyne snorted. “Magic does have its advantages. Don’t know why you punks ever stopped using it.”

“Best guess, people that couldn’t use it were jealous or afraid of the people that could,” Maddie theorized. “People are afraid of what they don’t understand, or sometimes resent people who can do things that they can’t. People had already been blaming fevers and droughts on witchcraft for ages and a few hundred years ago, something called the Inquisition happened. Bunch of religious nut jobs wanted to combat what they saw as ‘heresy’ -- which was basically any belief they didn’t agree with and there was one group that had a particular hate-on for ‘witches’. A word that once meant ‘wise woman’ or ‘healer’ was suddenlyre defined to mean ‘evil devil worshiper that feasts upon the flesh of the innocent’. In all they executed thousands of people over a few centuries, mostly women, and quite often village healers or herbalists.” Such a terrible waste of life and potential to the wrath of the fearful and the ignorant. It only followed after that that anyone with any remote magical skill buried it until the trait was all but forgotten in their own gene pool.

“People in Europe were still being executed for witchcraft into the eighteen hundreds,” she continued softly. “And there are some places in Africa and the Middle East that still fear what they see as ‘witchcraft’ to this day.”

Undyne looked pale. “Are you kidding?”

Maddie shook her head. “It’s not common but yeah, it still happens. Probably for the best that people lost that skill for a while.” But what a different world it could have been, though all considered it probably wouldn’t have been for the better. Just imagine the death toll of the second World War had it been fought with magic. 

But it begged the question, was she doing the right thing playing with magic like this? She would never use it to hurt anyone but surely she wasn’t the only one with real magical potential left in the world. Others might not be the pacifist that she was and it only took one rogue magic user to kick-start the whole witch-hunting mess all over again. There were enough people going squirrelly over the existence of monsters. If they rediscovered magic…

“Should we still be doing this?” Maddie asked softly, rolling the monster candy wrapper absently between her fingers. She’d been so excited about the possibility of doing magic herself that she never really thought about what would happen if the rest of the world found out. 

Alphys didn’t reply. Maybe they should. Her own track record with blending human traits with monster magic was hardly exemplary. After the debacle of the amalgamates should she really be playing with this again? And their creation had been solely due to an injection of Determination. The stars only know what would result from playing with human magic.

“Better us than somebody else,” Undyne pointed out, leaning her hip against the desk. “At least we’re not going after this with the intention of hurting anyone.” Though she did wonder in passing what kind of cool attacks they might come up with. “We’re exploring it for science, to learn the extent of it to see how it will affect humans and monsters.”

“W-we s-should still keep T-Toriel i-informed of our p-progress.”

Maddie nodded. “Agreed but… I think we should keep this as quiet as possible. Need-to-know basis only. If other magic-users pop up, we’ll handle that when it happens. At least we’ll have some solid evidence to back us up. But in the meantime…”

“Best to keep this a secret.”

For a moment nobody spoke, then Maddie spoke up again. “So...on kind of a separate note… do people’s souls come in different colours, or is that just a monster thing?”

Her friends stared at her. “What?”

“Well, like, mine is blue.” She’d seen that quite clearly when she fought Flowey. “And you guys all have different colours, so I was wondering…”

“M-monster s-souls are all w-white,” Alphys interrupted. 

“They are?” She blinked, confused. “But…”

“Wait a sec,” Undyne cut in. “You can see our souls? And they’re in colour?”

“Well… not exactly,” she hedged. “It’s ‘kind of like... an impression of colour. It’s easier with people I know, and I’ve only been able to do it with monsters so far. But like...Alphys is kind of a pale gold. Undyne, you’re this cool teal colour. Papyrus and Sans are orange and blue, like their magic. I think Toriel is kind of purple?”

Alphys and Undyne exchanged looks. 

“That’s… is that….normal?” 

Undyne shook her head. “Not even a little bit. Like…” She frowned, glanced briefly towards her girlfriend, then let out a sigh. “Ugh… I don’t really want to do this. It’s kinda personal but… “ She pressed one hand to her chest, then moved it outwards. drawing her own soul out into the open. It floated a few inches in front of her, a white heart gleaming like crystal in the fluorescent light. 

“It’s beautiful,” Maddie whispered, awestruck. Clear and bright, she had to fight the compulsion to touch it. If showing it to someone so openly was personal, she imagined that actually allowing someone to touch your soul would be especially so. 

The dark blush rose again under her scales. “So...see? White.”

Visibly yes, but Maddie still had the impression of teal around it. “Your magic, it’s teal, right? I can...It’s not seeing, not really. But I can feel it.”

Alphys made another note in her notebook. “S-so you s-sense the c-colour o-of our m-magic like we see the c-colour of y-your souls.”

“So there are different colours?”

She nodded. “S-seven c-colours, that we k-know of. R-red like F-Frisk, blue l-like you, g-green…”

“Purple,” Undyne added softly, her gaze going to the floor.

“--a-as well as t-teal, orange, and y-yellow,” Alphys finished.

“Do the colours mean anything in particular?” She wondered. "Like are they related to certain personality traits or --"

"S-something l-like that," Alphys nodded. "M-most humans we've f-found to have a m-mix of t-traits b-but the colour of the s-soul i-is often i-indicative of the most d-dominant t-trait."

"Okay, that makes sense. So what do they mean? Like you said Frisk was red---"

"Determination," Undyne answered. "That's what we call it anyway. The will to fight, to keep on living."

Maddie frowned slightly. "Pretty intense for a kid." But then Frisk was hardly your average child. "Do they change over time or are they always the same colour?"

"W-we're n-not sure," Alphys admitted. "It's b-been a l-long time since we've b-been able t-to observe a h-human g-grow to maturity b-but....I d-don't think so? The d-depth of the c-colour can change, or the soul can be d-damaged..."

"Damaged?"

Undyne nodded. "A soul can be scarred like any other part of the body. But some injuries...some injuries just don't heal, not all the way, so the soul cracks and sometimes if the trauma is bad enough...it breaks."

"So when they say someone died of a broken heart..."

"They might not be that far off."

Maddie bit her lip absently, leaning back in her chair. "Does that happen to monsters too?"

Undyne nodded again, shifting against the desk that she was sitting on. "It can. When a monster loses the will to live they -- we call it 'falling down'. Sometimes they can pull out of it but...monsters don't have the Determination that humans do."

And trying to add determination artificially... well that was an experiment that Alphys would not be repeating. One group of amalgamates was more than enough, thank you. At least they could be with their families now, even if most of them had elected not to live on the surface. 

"So I wouldn't find any monsters with red-tinted souls."

"Y-you're the f-first human I've h-heard of who c-can s-sense magic that w-way but p-probably n-not," Alphys answered. Though it would be an interesting avenue of inquiry. She made a note to revisit the subject later. "A-and what you s-see as c-colour might not m-mean the s-same in monster s-souls as in h-human ones."

"So what do the other colours mean?"

"A-as f-far we we've determined, y-yellow is j-justice, p-purple for perseverance, g-green is kindness, teal is p-patience--"

"Orange for bravery," Undyne added.

"And blue?" Maddie wondered, thinking of her own little sky-blue heart.

"Integrity."

The smile that lit Maddie's face was automatic. Integrity, huh... I like it!

"Those are the basic traits, anyway. And they can mean different things to different people. 'Justice' could mean treating everyone with fairness and kindness, or it could dive head-first into violence and vigilantism. It really depends on the person." But now that she thought about it, were their certain soul types that were more conducive to using magic? It was something to consider and discuss with Alphys and the Queen later. And Asgore of course. She might not be officially a Royal Guard anymore but that didn't mean that the other surface-dwelling monsters no longer deserved her protection. Circumstances being what they were up here some days it felt like they needed her more than ever. It was one of the reasons that she kept up her 'training' with Papyrus; aside from being just plain fun, if anything happened she wanted to be ready.

"That makes sense." And it was interesting delving into the differences in colour-symbolism between contemporary western and monster cultures. She opened her mouth to say as much when a loud gurgling sound issued from her stomach. “Ah….maybe we should wrap up for the day. I’m starving.”

The other two laughed. “P-probably b-burned a lot of c-calories t-today,” Alphys suggested, making another note.

“Could be,” Maddie grinned. “Anyway, text later? We can coordinate schedules for our next magical meet-up.”

“Cool. Oh, before you go! What was that you said at Toriel’s about shields?” Undyne asked.

Maddie blinked. “Oh! That. Well…” She tugged sheepishly at the copper-coloured braid that fell over her shoulder. “I was thinking...Perople are real jerks sometimes, especially to monsters, and after what happened with Frisk… If something happened, I wanted to be able to protect you guys. So as what is probably the result of way too much sword-and-sorcery anime, I thought hey, shield bubble. Nothing permanent,” she reassured them as she realized how close that sounded to creating another barrier. “Just something that would stay in place long enough for us to get out of the situation, you know?”

Undyne pursed her lips in consideration. If another human had suggested it she’d have been entirely against it but Maddie… Well, friends trust, right? “Can you do it?”

“What? Haha -- no, probably not.”

“Try.”

“Are--are you sure?” She bit her lip uncertainly. 

“Yeah,” Undyne decided. “Give it a shot before we go.”

“Ak...okay.” Maddie closed her eyes, focusing her energy. It may be decades worth of fantasy novels talking but her first thought was of a spherical shield that would encase her entirely. She clung to that image, willing it to form around her. The small pink eraser that bounced off her head told her that she was not successful. 

“I’m guessing that’s a ‘no’,” Undyne snickered as Alphys giggled behind her. 

“No for today anyways,” Maddie agreed. “But something to work on, yeah?”

“D-definitely.”

 

There was supper waiting for her when she got home. It was, of course, spaghetti, but a quick sniff told her that Papyrus had done up some ground beef to go in the sauce. It was a bit burnt but at this point Maddie would have happily eaten charcoal and declared it a feast.

“Lucy, I’m home!” She called out, closing the apartment door behind her and unzipping her boots.

“HUMAN! YOU HAVE RETURNED!” Papyrus beamed from the kitchen. “AND YOU HAVE REFERENCED ‘I LOVE LUCY’. IT IS A VERY GOOD PROGRAM. I HAVE MANY TAPES THAT I FOUND WHEN WE LIVED IN SNOWDIN. I DO VERY MUCH LIKE THE EPISODE WHERE SHE ATE ALL OF THE CHOCOLATE.”

“It’s a classic,” Maddie agreed. 

“So how was your session with Alphys?” Sans asked from the couch.

“Good,” she answered, unable to help the grin that lit her face. “Great, actually. Played with the light ball, determined that it is one hundred percent totally harmless. Had a good talk about the recent history of human magic and why we might have stopped using it. I learned about souls -- which was awesome, by the way.”

Harmless. Okay. Harmless was good. Sans smiled back, feeling some of the tension that had plagued him the last couple of days drain from his body. “Sounds like a pretty good day.”

“It really was. I mean I think Undyne was a bit disappointed that I couldn’t kamehameha stuff, but I don’t really want that kind of power anyway. And now I am starving. Apparently the energy required to play with light waves or whatever actually does come from somewhere, so that’s good to know.” And if someone didn’t feed her soon she’d be forced to start gnawing on table legs. 

“YOU ARE IN LUCK, HUMAN. THE GREAT PAPYRUS’S AWESOME SPAGHETTI IS READY FOR EATING.”

“Oh thank God. Papyrus you are my hero.”

A light orange blush rose in his cheeks but he waved it off. “NYEH-HEH-HEH! OF COURSE! THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS KNOWN FOR HIS PERFECT TIMING, WHICH IS ESSENTIAL IN THE PERFECT MEAL.”

It wasn’t exactly perfect. As she’d noted earlier the ground beef was a bit too well done but she attacked the food as if she hadn’t eaten in weeks. It was only when she was halfway through her second helping that she slowed down enough to talk.

“So...are you guys sure you are okay with this?”

“With you eating us out of house and home?” Sans cracked, watching her with no small amount of surprise. She had a healthy appetite but he’d never seen her like this before.

“Funny guy.” She stuck her tongue out at him as she twined more pasta around her fork. “I mean exploring my magic with Alphys. I know you guys were a little...wary about it, and I totally understand why and I don’t want you to be uncomfortable living here with me so I will stop if you ask me to.”

“NONSENSE!” Papyrus declared. “ALPHYS IS VERY EXCITED TO WORK WITH YOU. IT WOULD MAKE HER VERY SAD IF YOU QUIT AFTER ONLY ONE DAY.”

It would make Maddie sad too but she would quit in a heartbeat if they asked her to. “Sans?”

For a moment he was silent. She’d keep her word, of that much he was sure. Blue for integrity -- it wasn’t just a matter of living her life in the way that was right for her, but doing so with honesty and with honour. He believed her when she said that she would never use what she had to harm anyone but he’d seen nobler intentions pave the way down darker paths. He wanted to say ‘yes’, to ask her to abandon this road and never look back. But then he remembered the look of absolute joy when she came in the door, the delight and the pride when she’d first shown them what she could do. Could he really ask her to give that up? You’ve got to trust somebody sometimes… Maybe it was time to give Maddie a chance. 

“Yeah,” he answered at last. “It’s fine.”

Maddie frowned. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah,” Sans nodded. “A human was bound to rediscover magic eventually so….I’m glad it’s you.”

Oh and didn’t that just hit her in the warm and fuzzies. “Aw, Sans…” She stood, moving around the table to hug him.

“Woah, what...okay…” Not exactly what he’d expected but sure, why not.

“Thank you,” she said softly, moving to hug Papyrus as well. “Both of you. I won’t let you down, I promise.”

“YOU WILL DO GREAT THINGS, HUMAN. WE BELIEVE IN YOU.”

“Thanks Papyrus. Really. And for dinner too,” Maddie smiled, returning to her dinner.

“That reminds me, was gonna’ ask, you up for a show tonight?”

“Sure. Don’t think there’s much in theatres right now,” she shrugged. “What did you have in mind.”

“Welp,” he said, casually pulling a pair of tickets from the pocket of his favourite blue hoodie. “I was thinking maybe one of mine.”

“What? Hell yes! I am there with bells on. Just give me a few minutes to change clothes after we’re done here. Dude, why didn’t you say something earlier?”

Sans shrugged, a wide grin on his face. “You were having such fun talking about magic stuff, I didn’t want to interrupt. Are you really planning to wear bells?”

 

The club was a small one just off the university campus, not far from Grillby's, marked only by its lime green door that gleamed with fresh paint. If Maddie hadn't known what she was looking for she'd have missed it entirely. The door opened to a narrow stairway which led down to a small ticket office and bar outside of the main club space.

It was here that Sans left them, passing the tickets on to the pink-haired co-ed that manned the desk. "Hey Sioban, how's it goin'? Like the new 'do."

"Thanks," she grinned back, giving her candy-coloured locks a quick toss. "Was in the mood for something fun and different. This the famous brother I've heard so much about?"

"Yeah, this is my bro, Papyrus, and Maddie, our roommate."

"HELLO, HUMAN!" He took her small hand in his large gloved one, giving it an enthusiastic shake. "IT IS VERY NICE TO MEET YOU."

"Nice to meet you too," she replied with a good-natured laugh. "You're in for a good show tonight. Sansy here usually pulls in a pretty good crowd."

Sansy? Maddie bit her lip, trying not to giggle at the nickname. She'd definitely be using that later.

"Full house tonight?" Sans asked, stuffing his hands casually into the pockets of the leather jacket that Maddie had talked him into buying a couple of weeks prior.

"Almost. Lots of advanced tickets, probably a few more walk-ins before we start."

"Cool. I gotta' head back," he said to them, jerking his head towards a door marked 'staff only'. "You guys good here?"

"Don't worry, I'll look after them," Sioban said, waving him off.

"That's what I'm afraid of," Sans grinned with a teasing wink.

"We'll see you after the show," Maddie told him. "Break a leg."

He turned away laughing at his brother's startled expression, the door to the staff area swinging shut as Maddie and Sioban tried to explain the finer points of show-biz slang to Papyrus.

 

The club area itself was larger than expected, the exposed brick of the walls worn with age, contrasting with the matte black and shiny chrome of the raised tables and stools that filled the show floor. A raised platform at the far end of the room served as a stage, a single mic stand set up in the center.

"COME!" Papyrus urged, dragging Maddie towards the table that sat right in front of the stage. "WE MUST SIT CLOSE SO MY BROTHER CAN SEE US!"

"I'm not sure the other people will be able to see over us if we sit there," Maddie pointed out with a laugh.

"THAT IS TRUE." He paused a moment in thought. "WE MUST NOT BE SELFISH. WE ARE ABLE TO SEE MY BROTHER MAKE INSUFFERABLE PUNS EVERY NIGHT. WE SHOULD ALLOW OTHER PEOPLE TO EXPERIENCE THIS FOR THEMSELVES."

"Maybe this one, here in the middle?"

"PERFECT!"

Maddie shed her coat, slinging it over the back of one of the stools. "I'm going to grab a drink. You want anything? Soda?" Papyrus, to the best of her knowledge, didn't drink, which was in all probably for the best. Though she would admit the thought of a drunken Papyrus was completely hilarious.

"YES PLEASE! I WILL REMAIN HERE TO GUARD OUR CHAIRS. I DO NOT WANT TO MISS A SINGLE MOMENT OF MY BROTHER'S PERFORMANCE."

Maddie made her way out to the bar, ordering cherry colas for Papyrus and herself. They'd taken her car to the club and as she would openly admit that she was reigning Queen of the Lightweights, she would not be drinking either. She paid for the drinks, taking advantage of the time to look around at the other guests. Most of them were human, college students mainly, but there were a few monsters chatting in the bar area as well, and when she returned to the show floor she found Papyrus conversing enthusiastically with a pair of bipedal dogs that were as tall as she was.

"THANK YOU HUMAN!" Papyrus smiled when she returned to the table. 

"You're welcome." She put her own glass down, waving at the two canine monsters. "Hey. I'm Maddie."

"Dogamy AND DOGARESSA ARE FRIENDS FROM SNOWDIN," Papyrus explained. "THEY SERVED UNDER UNDYNE AS PART OF THE ROYAL GUARD."

"It's nice to meet you," Maddie smiled, offering her hand and wondering briefly if they would shake it or sniff like their surface counterparts.

Dogamy made a soft huffing sound, reaching out to take her hand. "Likewise. You are the human that Sans and Papyrus live with."

"Yep," she quipped. "Best roommates ever. I love these guys."

The other dog -- Dogaressa? -- eyed her curiously before shaking her hand as well. "Not many humans would be so willing to take in stray monsters."

"There are some closed-minded idiots out there," Maddie conceded. "Thankfully we aren't all that way. Personally I think signing up to host the skelebros was the best decision I've ever made."

The other dog snorted with laughter, a smile on his muzzle. "Skelebros. I like it."

"MADDIE HAS BEEN A VERY GOOD HOST," Papyrus smiled, gripping her in a tight side-armed hug. "SHE HAS TAUGHT ME TO USE THE IMMERSION BLENDER WEAPON TO MAKE MY FAMOUS SPAGHETTI!"

Just then the lights flickered, signalling ten minutes to showtime.

"We should return to our table," Dogamy said.

"YES! WE DO NOT WANT TO MISS THE SHOW."

"See ya later, Papyrus. And ah...nice to meet you, Maddie."

 

 

The warm-up act was entirely average, in Maddie's opinion trying way harder than strictly necessary to be funny. The laughter was scattered, often awkward as the woman delved into some jokes that were just downright crass.

Half way through her bit, Papyrus leaned over to whisper to Maddie. "I am confused. I do not understand why this is funny."

"Me either," she replied softly. Actually hearing jokes like that while she was sitting next to Papyrus was just uncomfortable. It felt like sitting next to a little kid and watching a movie with an unexpected graphic sex scene. So, so awkward.

Thankfully the bit was short. The applause, which had been simply polite, turned to sporadic cheers when Sans was introduced -- the loudest of which was, of course, Papyrus. Caught up in her friend's enthusiasm, Maddie stuck her thumb and middle finger in her mouth and let out a loud whistle.

Sans sauntered onto the stage, his eyes immediately going to their table, and he shot a quick wink their way as he took the microphone from the stand. The routine he started on was a new one that he'd been working on the last couple of weeks. Some introductory patter followed by some funny observations about differences between humans and monsters, a short anecdotal story about an old friend which may or may not have been entirely made up, interspersed with enough puns to have his brother groaning audibly from his chair.

Maddie laughed herself breathless, tears streaming from her eyes as he related a story about a particularly stubborn telemarketer who was determined to sell him weight loss supplements. 

"I mean, do I look like I'm looking to lose weight?" He asked, tugging up the sleeve of his jacket and revealing the smooth white bones of his forearm. "I'm skin and bones, here. Hell, I'm just bones! And I try to tell the guy but he's just not listening. Keeps going on about 'all natural' bla bla bla. I dunno what the rest of the world knows about us monsters but this guy is just not cluing in and I just don't have the heart to tell him that the main staples of my diet are spaghetti and ketchup..."

 

  
The club was almost empty by the time they finally made their way up the stairs. Sans had stayed, mixing with the other guests and greeting some old friends from the underground who had come to see the show. Along with Dogamy and Dogaressa there were a couple of large avian creatures and an extremely muscular horse-like monster with the bottom half of a scaled fish that Maddie thought was a hyppocami -- though how he was hanging around on the surface without a body of water to keep him hydrated she had no idea. His name was Aaron. 

When all of the guests had gone Sans bid farewell to the owner and Sioban and headed for the door.

"THAT WAS AWESOME!" Papyrus exclaimed as they hit the street. He had been expressing similar sentiments from the moment his brother had stepped offstage and didn't look to be stopping any time soon. "YOU WERE VERY FUNNY, EVEN WITH THE PUNS."

"Heh, thanks bro."

"I still can't believe the bit about the sales guy," Maddie chuckled. "I mean I give the guy points for determination but dude, know when to give up."

"Hey guys, look what we have here. A couple of freaks out for a show."

They turned to find a trio of men -- mid-twenties at a glance -- striding towards them. Denim- and parka-clad they could have been any young guys on campus, but for the derisive sneers twisting their faces. 

"You lost, freaks?"

"WE ARE NOT LOST," Papyrus answered, shaking his head. "WE HAVE JUST LEFT MY BROTHER'S PERFORMANCE. HE IS A VERY GOOD COMEDIAN."

"Yeah I bet," one of the guys snorted, smirking over the collar of his dark green jacket. "With a face like that."

Papyrus opened his mouth to protest but Maddie stepped in first. "Don't you three stooges have anything better to do?"

"Hey now." The tallest of the trio stepped forward, his eyes raking over her. "Looks like the freaks brought a friend. What's wrong, honey? Couldn't find a real man so decided to slum it with these bone-heads?" His cronies chuckled at the pun.

Maddie rolled her eyes. "I was out for some fun with my friends. You three dude-bros mind getting out of the way? We've got places to be."

"What's your hurry, sweetheart?" Asked another of them, a stocky fellow in a black parka. "The night is young. Why not come with us? Bet we can show you a better time than these monster."

"I highly doubt that." Ugh, were they really going to go through this cliched bullshit? "Come on, guys. Let's go home."

The stocky one's eyes fired and as she moved to walk past them he reached out, his hand clamping in a vice-like grip on her arm. "Home, is it? You are a kinky little monster-fucker aren't you?"

A blush rose in her cheeks as she bit back a curse. Damn it..... "Let me go."

"You know, I don't think I will." He replied, his grip tightening as she tried pull herself free. 

Maddie clenched the fist of her free hand and was debating between the relative merits of punching him in the face versus stomping his foot as hard as she could with her heeled boots when Sans stepped towards them, the lights in his eyes reduced to threatening pinpricks in the dark. "I believe the lady asked you to let her go."

"Or what?" 

"Yeah, whatcha' gonna' do?" The taller man asked. "Shit all, that's what. Not like you freaks can use your magic. One spark from you guys and it's back under that damn mountain you go."

"If you're lucky," the third snorted. 

Maddie went cold. He was right. There was nothing they could do. She might be able to take one of these idiots but certainly not all three. And if Sans and Papyrus did anything, these fools could get away with anything and claim it self-defense. 

"I don't have to do anything," Sans answered easily. "See, you three aren't the first to try and cause trouble around here, so my friends set up a little insurance in case anyone decided to try anything again." He jerked one bony thumb upwards, where a small black box with a tiny winking red light was set just above the club's door. "Smile, assholes. You're on Candid Camera."

This brief distraction gave Maddie the time she needed to wrench her arm free and take a step back, adjusting the cuffs of her violet peacoat. 

"Now, are you fellas ready to go on your way, or do you want to have a b a d t i m e ?"

For a moment it looked like there might be trouble. The trio exchanged looks. Stocky looked like he wanted to fight but after another glance back at the skeletons, appeared to decide that discretion was the better part of valor. He gave a dismissive snort and jerked his head, motioning for his buddies to follow as he walked away.

It wasn't until they had moved out of sight down the street that they relaxed, the charge of magic fading from the air. Maddie let out a sigh of relief. 

"Welp, that was fun," Sans quipped, jamming his hands into his pockets. "You okay, kid?"

"Ah, yeah," she replied, mirroring his actions and sticking her hands in her own pockets. That had been closer than she wanted to admit. "Thanks."

"ARE YOU SURE?" Papyrus asked, his face tight with concern. "THAT HUMAN DID GRAB YOU VERY HARD."

"Yeah, I'm okay." A little shaken, a lot angry, and she'd probably have a bruise or two as a souvenir of the evening, but it could have been worse. It could have been a lot worse. "Come on, let's go home."

The drive back to the apartment was silent but for the soft sound of the radio. Maddie had to force herself to relax, to breathe, to focus on the road instead of the incident. She'd just felt so...useless. Incidents like these were exactly why she wanted to sort out this shield business sooner rather than later. If those men had been armed this evening could have had an entirely different ending. She had to figure it out and soon, before it was too late. 

 

Practice on shields began a couple of days later. It was a slow start to say the least with nothing resembling a visible result. Maddie and Alphys agreed to meet twice each week to work on it. Undyne joined them when she could, eagerly flinging office supplies at Maddie to test her progress. The result was a steadily growing collection of bruises and a minor concussion from being pegged with a stapler.

When she wasn’t at the lab Maddie was chained to her sewing machine. With Christmas approaching she was flooded with last-minute orders and commissions, resulting in more than a few late nights. And that didn’t include the additional gifts that she would be making for her new friends this year.

Toriel was putting together a huge dinner for the gang on Christmas Day. She had extended an invitation to Maddie as well but as she always spent the holiday at her parents’ house with her family she was forced to decline. This would be their first Christmas on the surface. It was a shame she couldn’t share it with them. At least there was new years to look forward to. Alphys and Undyne had told her during practice one day that they were having a party at their place, sort of a pot-lock deal. Maddie immediately volunteered dessert, mentally going through a list of recipe possibilities. Planning that would be a nice break from her shield problems.

After three weeks of work all she’d managed was a soft blue glow.

“I’m so close,” she groaned, sinking back in her rolly chair. “I can feel it. It’s right there but I don’t know what I’m missing.” She might be further along except they’d all agreed it would be best if she restricted her magical experimentation to Alphys’s lab.

“I-I’m sure you’ll f-figure it out s-soon,” Alphys reassured her.

“Maybe you just need more incentive.” Undyne reached for the stapler.

“No!” Maddie yelped, scrambling to her feet. “No, no, no. No more staplers. One concussion was enough, thank you.”

She put it down with a sigh. “Wuss.”

“I prefer to think of it as ‘sensible’, avoiding further brain damage.”

A soft knock at the door cut off Undyne’s response. 

“C-come in!”

The door swung open and a large, white-furred head peeked inside. “Ah, howdy! Sorry to interrupt.”

Undyne let out a whoop of joy. “Asgore! Hey, man! Come on in!”

So this was the King of Monsters -- and, if memory served, Toriel’s ex-husband. He had a broad, cheerful face framed by silky golden hair and a neatly trimmed beard, crowned by a pair of curving white horns. His Hawaiian-shirted bulk filled the doorway to the point that he had to duck and turn a little bit to fit through. As if the size of him wasn’t intimidating enough, the aura of sheer power radiating from him was enough to knock Maddie back on her heels.

Holy shit… This must be what they call a Boss Monster…

“H-h-hey Asgore,” Alphys greeted with a shy wave. “I d-didn’t know y-you were c-coming t-today.”

“The shop finally quieted down a bit so I thought I would come and say ‘hello’,” he said with a smile. “Ah--You must be Maddie. It is good to meet you at last. I have heard so much about you.”

Yeah, I bet… Was there some sort of protocol for being introduced to monster royalty? Sure she was friends with Toriel now but she projected more the ‘mom’ vibe than ‘queen’....most of the time anyway. Should she curtsy? No, she was wearing pants. Maddie settled for a small bow. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty.”

Undyne let out a bark of laughter, clapping her on the back hard enough to have her staggering. “You don’t need to do all that formal crap, you nerd. Asgore is cool.”

Right, like she was going to call the King by his first name right off the bat. Might as well stroll into Buckingham Palace calling ‘hey Izzy, ‘sup?’ Yeah, not going to happen.

“Indeed, there is no need for such formality,” he chuckled with a fond smile toward his former Captain. “Please, call me Asgore.”

“Ah, okay...Asgore.” Oh God that felt weird. Like calling her old schoolteachers by their first names.

“I’d wanted to come by earlier to introduce myself,” he admitted. “But things at the shop have gotten so hectic…”

Right, she’d heard somewhere that he’d started up a landscaping and florist business since coming to the surface. “I’m glad business has been good. Lots of orders for centerpieces and stuff I be this time of year.”

“Indeed, many have made special requests for holiday decor. It is nice to see humans still take this time to be together.”

“You coming to Toriel’s next week?” Undyne asked.

Asgore nodded, a light blush rising under his fur. “Ah, an invitation has been extended, yes.” Things were still tense with his wife -- even after all these years he couldn’t bear to think of her as his ex -- but this, he hoped, would be a step towards their reconciliation.

“Cool! I can’t wait to dig into a big ol’ slice of her snail pie.”

...Snail? I think I will stick to the cinnamon-butterscotch. Maddie thought with an internal shudder.

“It is very good,” Asgore agreed. “Actually she phoned me not long ago.” And what a shock that had been as Toriel had been making a point of avoiding him if at all possible. But in this he understood why she had broken that rule, and he trusted her judgement when she told him that the girl was not a danger to them, but it was past time to see for himself whether or not that was true. “She told me that young Maddie could use magic.”

Young? Well to a being of indeterminate centuries she supposed she was. “Yes sir -- ah --Asgore. It isn’t much but I can do some magic.”

“Would you show me?”

Maddie gave a small nod, holding out her hand and calling up a light ball the size of a quarter. “You can touch it if you want,” she offered. “It’s safe, I promise. We’ve tested it.”

Asgore glanced towards Undyne, whose pointy grin had turned a bit sheepish. Then he stepped forward, reaching out one furry hand. There was no malice here, that much he could feel most clearly, not the slightest hint of ill-intent. Just a cheerful kind of warmth like sunlight on a clear day. The king smiled. “It is lovely.”

Maddie’s cheeks flushed at the praise. “Thank you. It’s been...incredible even to get this far. Sometimes I can hardly believe I’ve gotten this far, even when this is all that I can do.”

At this particular moment that was probably for the best. He had seen what human sorcery was capable of, bringing out the worst of humanity more than the best. To see this child take such joy in this simplest of magics...it was reassuring. “What is it that you wish to accomplish with your abilities?”

“I want to keep my friends safe.” It was more than just a matter of satisfaction, of knowing for herself what she could do. She didn’t need to be some awesome fireball-throwing sorceress. If she could protect her friends when they needed it, that would be enough. “I’m so afraid that something will happen… that someone will come after them...People have been so leery of monsters using magic in public, if they tried to defend themselves…” A simple act of defence could turn into all-out war. “So we’ve been working on shields -- nothing permanent,” she reassured him hastily. “Nothing at all like the barrier. Not ever. But something I could keep in place for a couple of seconds, maybe a couple of minutes tops, until the immediate danger was over. I don’t want to hurt anyone. I just want to keep them safe.”

Those who had erected the barrier had wanted to keep their people safe too, or at least that was what they had claimed. To do so they conjured the blackest of magics, drawn from the pain and suffering of innocent children, It had taken seven souls to trap them, and it was said that seven to set them free again. He himself had collected six. Six unlucky children who had fallen into the Underground who would never see their families again. 

Maddie could see the tension in his face, feel the unconscious gathering of power. “I swear on my life I would never use it to hurt anyone, and if you want me to stop, I’ll stop.”

Could he really take that risk? He may be king, and on the surface he was more of a figurehead than an actual governing body, but he was still responsible for the safety and wellbeing of his people. Toriel seemed to trust her, as did his Captain, two people whose input he valued most highly, and in this case his instincts matched with theirs. For now he would give Maddie the benefit of the doubt and if she proved to be a threat… He would do what had to be done. 

Asgore shook his head. “No, you may continue your experiments, however I would appreciate it if you kept me appraised of your progress.”

“Of course,” she promised. “Alphys has been keeping track of all of our work so far so if you wanted the records we could make copies. So far the light is all I’ve managed so far. Otherwise, well, may I interest you in a bit of glowy blue fog?”

“Ooh, yeah!” Undyne cheered. “Show him!”

With Asgore’s nod of approval, Maddie closed her eyes and tried to focus. This was always where success eluded her. She had the intent, had the focus, but something was just missing, keeping her shield from becoming solid. She could feel Asgore reach out, brushing his fingertips through the fog without resistance. After a moment she sighed, allowing it to dissipate, and opened her eyes. “Heh...sorry. That’s all I’ve got so far.”

“It is a commendable effort for so short a time,” Asgore said with a kind smile.

"Thanks," she smiled back. "It's still kind of a work in progress but -- shit!" The sharp gathering of energy was all the notice she had as she threw up her hands, calling up her shield as a glowing turquoise spear hurled towards her face. It barely slowed as it passed through the glow, vanishing scarce inches before it would have struck her. "Undyne what the hell?!"

"What? I thought you could use a little more incentive," she said with a shrug as Alphys madly scribbled notes behind her.

"You threw a spear at my face!"

"I didn't hit you."

"Spear! At my face!" Maddie repeated shrilly, allowing her shield to dissipate.

"You're fine. Come on, give me credit for some control."

Magical control, sure. Impulse control, not so much. "What if you missed? You could have hit Asgore!"

Undyne snorted. "Please. Asgore could block that without batting an eye. And I don't miss."

"Y-you almost b-blocked it t-too," Alphys put in excitedly.

Almost didn't cut it when someone shot a spear at your head. Maddie sighed, running one hand absently through her hair. "No more spears. Please? At least not until I can block the stapler."

The former guard captain snickered. "Deal."

"Well...Golly!" Asgore shook his head at the exchange. Overzealous as Undyne's actions had been, they had nonetheless been educational.There had been no anger at the attack, not the slightest indication of intent to retaliate, both points in the human's favour. "Ah, perhaps it is time to take a short break?"

"Tea!" Undyne crowed, pumping her scaled fists into the air. She would happily admit to being a hopeless tea addict. Asgore himself had introduced her to the beauty of a well-made cup of tea back when he was training her as a way to unwind after a long session and it was still her go-to ritual whenever she needed to relax. 

"T-there's a r-really g-good place in the b-b-basement of the humanities b-building," Alphys suggested, setting her notebook down on her desk.

"Humani-Teas?" Maddie asked, grinning at the pun.

"Y-yeah! H-have you b-been there?"

"Oh heck yeah," she laughed, moving to grab her coat and purse from the rolling chair where she had dropped them earlier. "I practically lived there when I went to school here. They had the best wi-fi access on campus and I made friends with the staff so they'd give me free drinks sometimes whenever they came up with a new mix. Their 'fuzzy peach' mix is still one of my favourites. Ooh and the one with their 'summer apple' blended with...oh what was it... 'amaretto' I think. It tastes like pie."

"Undyne likes the 'aztec s-sun' blend," Alphys smiled, naming one that mysteriously blended chocolate with hints of chili pepper. It was a bit hot for her taste but Undyne loved it, insisting that it was a warrior's drink and insisted on conquering it. She'd stick with the jasmine green tea herself. 

"That sounds wonderful," Asgore nodded. "Shall we go, then? My treat."

"Hell ya! Let's go!"


	7. The Proper Incentive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shield practice starts and everyone gets together for the holidays.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone.
> 
> Sorry for the long hiatus. It's been a crazy few weeks. Between moving and trying to get my business started up...well it's been a little nuts. And this chapter was fighting me a bit. As a reward for your patience I am pleased to present you with a SUPER LONG CHAPTER! (For reals, it's almost 40 pages hahaha)
> 
> I want to thank all of you for your wonderful comments (and extra thanks to the beautiful soul who pointed out my typo haha). And if any of you have any fanart or something you want to send me (which would be freaking amazing if you have) let me know and I will set something up so I can share it with all the other readers!

Chapter 7: The Proper Incentive

Papyrus was concerned. As Christmas drew nearer his human friend had become very pale. Much of her time she spent secluded in her room, only coming out to eat or to meet with Alphys. When she returned she was often exhausted. She ate like the starving then retreated once more to her work. the sounds of her sewing machine humming long into the night. Maddie had promised him that it was only temporary, that after Christmas she would dedicate an entire week to relaxing with her friends. Until then, she could not let down her customers. But rest, he thought, would not stop the bruises.

The finger marks that the angry human had left on her the night of the comedy show had faded quickly. Papyrus's memory of them, of the events that led to them, would not. Humans, for all of their strength and determination, were surprisingly delicate. He forgot that sometimes. So too, it seemed, did Undyne. Their own practice sessions were not exactly gentle but at least he did not turn colours should an object glance off his bones. This too Maddie waved away. 'Incentive to get it right', she claimed. Papyrus wondered if it was worth it. But then he remembered the men from the street, the marks on her skin. If she could make her shield that human never would have touched her.

On December 23rd Maddie made the last of her deliveries and returned to the apartment feeling jubilant. She had put the finishing touches on her own gifts the night before which meant that she had nothing to do tonight but spend time with her boys.

"I am free!" She declared, tossing her coat into the closet as she closed the door behind her. "Free at last! No more sewing, no more pin-stabbed fingers. Nothing but stuffing my face and lazing around on my butt until after New Years."

"HOORAY!" Papyrus cheered from the couch. "THAT IS WONDERFUL!"

"I'm thinking of making dinner to celebrate." Maybe go a little fancy as she was in the mood. "What do you guys want?"

"Oh no," Sans shook his head. "You've been bustin' your butt all month. We're going out."

"Grillby's?"

"Grillby's."

Not cooking was even better. After the last few weeks living on freezer soup, frozen perogies and ungodly amounts of pasta, Maddie would kill for a burger.  
Grillby's was done up in full holiday splendor. Garlands of tinsel hung from the walls and draped in colourful swags from the bar. Small spruce wreaths hung from the sconces on the wall. Even Grillby himself had dressed for the occasion, replacing his usual black bowtie with a festive red one.

"Lookin' pretty hot, Grillby," Maddie called, beating Sans to the pun as they snagged a table near the bar, laughing as Papyrus groaned.  
The fire elemental chuckled, shaking his head. She was a good one, as humans went, and a good friend to the skeleton brothers, for whom he had a particular affection. It was a shame that Sans' penchant for bad puns had rubbed off on her. "It's been a while," he said, his dry, crackling voice warm with welcome.

"Tis the season," she replied as she shrugged out of her coat. "Orders out the wazoo. I had to stop accepting commissions two weeks ago I got so many. Speaking of." She reached into her purse, pulled out a small, wrapped parcel and tossed it his way.

Grillby blinked -- or rather, she thought he did. It was hard to tell on a man whose face was made of ever-shifting flames -- catching it effortlessly. When the crisp silver wrapping was torn away he found himself holding a soft fleece scarf in a rich crimson, the ends embroidered with the faint metallic outline of gold and copper flames.

"Not that you'd ever really need it to keep warm," Maddie chuckled. "But, well...Merry Christmas."  
For a moment he just looked at it, then with what might have been a smile he slung it around his neck, tossing one end over his shoulder. "Thank you."

 

Christmas passed in a blur. Maddie left the apartment the afternoon of Christmas Eve to spend the holiday with her family. After discussing it with the brothers they agreed to wait until Toriel's New Years party to exchange gifts. Even with their differences it was nice to spend some time with her family. After the debacle of their last face-to-face encounter Carla was remarkably subdued, though it seemed she was making a point of avoiding the topic of monsters entirely. Maddie's grandparents expressed minor concerns, but theirs seemed as much to do with the fact that she had simply allowed utter strangers to live with her than the fact that they happened to be monsters. However after Maddie got the chance to tell them about her new friends and to share some of the pictures that she had saved to her phone, they seemed to approve. Her cousins were far more relaxed about the idea. In fact, after a little quiet prodding, one of them admitted privately to her that she had a crush on a little faun girl in her English class.

Maddie, of course, told her to go for it.

She returned home on boxing day tired but happy, wearing some adorable new boots that her dad had picked out which had instantly become her new favourites. Soft black leather with belt details at the knee and ankle with a two-and-a-half-inch cone heel. Hell yes.

"I'm back!"

"Hey," Sans called from his position sprawled in front of the small tree that they had set up in the corner of the apartment. "How was it?"

"Good," she smiled. "I come bearing leftovers."

Both brothers groaned.

"What?"

"So much food.... dunno' if there's room in the fridge for them."

Maddie laughed, moving to the kitchen to deposit the tupperware containers in the fridge. "Toriel send you guys home with a care package too?" The question was quickly answered when she opened the fridge to find it stuffed almost to bursting with similar containers. "Ah. Okay then. Guess this is going in the freezer. Dang, we aren't going to have to cook for the rest of the year."

 

After two days of fat-assing on the couch watching Netflix Maddie was desperate for activity. She was tempted to get start on the dessert that she had planned for Toriel's party but most of it didn't need to be made for another couple of days. Though that didn't mean she couldn't bring a little extra... Suddenly animated she searched her cupboards, cross-referencing the ingredients that she had with the recipes that she had saved on her laptop, at last deciding that frozen mini raspberry-chocolate mousse tarts would be a nice compliment to the chocolate cupcakes with peach buttercream frosting that she had already planned.

With the chocolate cookie crumb crust pressed into paper liners in her muffin tray, Maddie started melting the chocolate, mixing six ounces of chocolate chips with a quarter cup of heavy cream in a sauce pan on the stove. While that melted she poured some frozen raspberries into a small bowl and set them to thaw in the microwave. While not particularly difficult the biggest challenge with this recipe was to keep the temperature of the stove high enough to melt the chocolate but not so hot as to burn it. There was a lot of stirring involved. When the chocolate was fully melted she removed the saucepan from the burner, setting it aside to cool as she strained the seeds from the raspberries. Then she started on the whipped cream.

She was just folding the mixture together in a large bowl when Papyrus stepped into the kitchen. Curiously he was wearing the cropped breastplate that he referred to as his 'battle body'.

"Hey," Maddie greeted as she stirred.

"HELLO HUMAN!" He responded with a bright smile. "WHAT ARE YOU MAKING?"

"Kind of went on a cooking binge so I'm making mousse."

Papyrus looked puzzled. "A MOOSE? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH ITS ANTLERS? AND HOW DID YOU TURN SUCH A LARGE ANIMAL INTO CREAM? DID YOU USE THE POWERFUL IMMERSION WEAPON?"

"What? Oh, no!" She laughed, shaking her head. "M-o-u-s-s-e not m-o-o-s-e. It's a dessert, usually made with whipped cream. I'm making it with chocolate and raspberries. Thought I'd take some to Toriel's for New Years."

"OH, ARE YOU NO LONGER MAKING THE CUPCAKES?" He pouted.

"No, I am," she reassured him. "I just got kind of bored and my brain went 'hey, desserts’! You heading off to train with Undyne?"

Papyrus nodded. "YES, WE HAVE DECIDED TO CONTINUE OUR TRAINING DURING THE HOLIDAY TO PREVENT OUR SKILLS FROM BECOMING RUSTY, INSTEAD OF BOONDOGLING LIKE A CERTAIN BROTHER OF MINE."

"He is a very good boondogler," Maddie agreed with a snicker. Heh...boondgler...

"IF YOU ARE BORED YOU ARE WELCOME TO JOIN US," Papyrus offered.

"I am not sure I am quite up to your level," she confessed. "But I would love to watch you guys, if that's okay. Are you meeting her soon? I've just got to spoon this into the shells and pop them in the freezer."

"THE GREAT PAPYRUS WOULD BE GLAD TO LEND ASSISTANCE," he offered.

"Oh, thanks!" She grabbed four large spoons from the drawer, passing two over to the skeleton. "Just fill each of the shells to the top. Should be a couple of spoonfuls each."

It took less than five minutes to empty the bowl, filling all two dozen of the chocolate tart shells. With that done, Maddie covered the surfaces in plastic wrap and placed the two trays in the freezer to chill.

"And now for the best part," she grinned, scraping one of her spoons against the interior of the mixing bowl to clear out some of the excess, then popping it into her mouth. "Oh yeah... that is good. Try some."

Papyrus eyed her curiously, then repeated her actions. His eye sockets went wide, the small white lights that were his pupils turning star-shaped. "WOWIE! THAT IS VERY GOOD!" He swept his spoon through the bowl again for another taste.

Maddie smiled. "I'm glad you like it. If you want I can show you how to make it later."

"OOH YES PLEASE!"

Papyrus made quick work of the excess, cleaning the bowl so thoroughly it hardly needed to be put in the dishwasher afterwards.With the dishes deposited in the dishwasher and the counters wiped down, the two grabbed their coats and left the apartment. It was warm for December, the winter sunshine reflecting brilliantly over the crisp white snow. Eager to be on their way, Papyrus offered to drive, almost skipping towards his snappy red convertible. Maddie wouldn't complain. Actually Papyrus was one of the safest drivers she knew, probably even more so than she was. And let's face it, that car was just slick. She couldn't wait until summertime when they could drive along the beach with the top down.

Papyrus and Undyne had started training at the university shortly after Alphys had taken up her position there. Some quiet digging had told them that they could book the practice courts for tennis or racquetball for their own private sessions as long as they kept them in good condition. That had gone...not quite so well the first time they tried, a handful of gold subtly changing hands in order to repair the spear-marks carved into the floors. After that they had moved their practices to the small back yard of Alphys and Undyne's house. The building was one of the oldest on campus,just over a hundred years old at Maddie's estimation, with a small porch off the front painted forest green to contrast with the crisp white of the rest of the building.

"Their place is so cute!" Maddie exclaimed as they pulled up in front.

"IT IS VERY NICE," Papyrus agreed. "I AM PLEASED THAT UNDYNE HAS NOT BURNED IT DOWN YET."

The fish-lady in question answered the door at the first knock, so promptly in fact that Papyrus almost knocked on her nose instead. "Hey Papyrus. Right on time."

"THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS ALWAYS ON TIME. I HAVE BROUGHT THE HUMAN WITH US. SHE WISHES TO WATCH US TRAIN."

"Oh no, no watching." Undyne said with a wicked grin. "You should join us."

"Ah...I don't think I would be able to keep up with you guys. And I'm not exactly dressed for...training." That was as good an excuse as any, right?

"That's okay. You can borrow some of my stuff." Completely mowing over any protest, she grabbed Maddie's arm, dragging her into the house, barely giving her time to take her boots off before she was herded up the stairs.

She got a quick glimpse of clean white walls, solid wooden frames leading up the stairs that contained pictures of their friends and, oddly, a single fish. It wasn't until they reached the master bedroom on the main level that Undyne released her, diving into the closet and tossing a black tank and a pair of sweatpants her way.

"Here, these should fit."

If by 'fit' she meant 'be almost a foot too long', they would be perfect. "Ah...thanks."

"Any time," she grinned. "I'm going to go downstairs, get Papyrus started. Don't wimp out, nerd."

Tempting, so tempting but... "I won't."

When she was left alone, Maddie sighed. Maybe she could get away with just doing the warm-up and avoid any more spears coming at her face. As she traded her jeans for Undyne's extra long sweatpants she took a moment to look around.

The walls had been painted a soft, sunny yellow, the kind of colour that brought bright sunlight indoors on even the gloomiest of days. The windows were framed with bright blue curtains that complimented the bedspread -- which, to Maddie's amusement, was patterned with oversized scales. Hand-knotted rugs in shades of blue, green and gold lay on either side of the bed along with a pair of wooden bedside tables. A matching bureau sat against one wall, the surface covered by a few more picture frames along with a porcelain figurine of the heroine of Mew Mew Kissy Cutie.

After rolling up the bottoms of the sweatpants Maddie made her way downstairs and out to the backyard where a small deck had been erected, stained a soft brown, on which they had stacked several Adirondack chairs. Alphys was already seated in one of them, a thermos of tea in her clawed hands.

"H-h-hey M-Maddie," she smiled with a small wave. "I d-didn't know you w-were c-coming today."

"It was kind of spur-of-the moment," Maddie admitted. "Hope that's okay."

"Y-yeah, it's f-fine. I think Undyne is h-happy to have s-someone else j-join t-them."

"For the three seconds it will take before I pass out," Maddie joked with a wry smile.

"Hey punk," Undyne called as she and Papyrus jogged past the deck. "Better hurry if you want to catch up."

Maddie sighed, adjusting the sweatpants as she tucked them into her flat-soled boots. "Here goes nothing."

 

The running was not so bad. Maddie could keep pace with them easily and they could only go so fast in their small yard. When it came to push-ups...then there was a problem. She managed less than a dozen regular pushups while Undyne and Papyrus instigated a competition of who could do the most one-handed ones in five minutes. Alphys cheered in the background as Maddie elected to sprawl face-down on the deck.

“Come on, nerd! Don’t wuss out now! You gotta’ do more than that!”

“Nope. Dibs out. No mas.” Maddie groaned, not even bothering to lift her head from the cold wood.

“COME ON, HUMAN! YOU CAN DO IT!” Papyrus urged.

“No, I really can’t,” she laughed. “Not unless Alphys has secretly invented a super soldier serum that she wants to try out.”

“W-well…”

Now all eyes turned to her, causing her to duck her head shyly behind the collar of her coat.

“Wait...have you?”

“W-well...n-no,” Alphys admitted. “But I c-could...m-maybe…” Though given her past track record with enhancement experiments, it was probably best to not go down that road.

“Maybe we should stick with magic for now,” Maddie suggested.

The little drake laughed. “Y-yeah, you’re p-probably r-right.”

Undyne let out a sigh of disappointment, declaring Maddie’s inability to continue with their push-up contest to be utterly lame.

“Well we can’t all be badass super-tough Amazon warrior chicks,” Maddie pointed out, rolling over to watch them.

“You could be.”

Okay true, but who had the time? Certainly not Maddie. She might be able to choose her own hours but she didn’t have that much freedom. It would take years of daily training to get to Undyne’s level. “Not this century. I think I will be sticking with wooden swords for a while.”

“Lame. So very lame.” Undyne shook her head. “Now, sit-ups!”

Maddie did somewhat better with those, managing about forty before electing to throw in the towel and join Alphys on the deck chairs to watch the show.

Seeing Papyrus and Undyne fight was just...damn impressive. They took their places at opposite ends of the yard and at some unspoken signal launched into action. Gleaming blue spears flew at Papyrus, batted effortlessly away by a pure white bone club that he had summoned from the air as Undyne launched herself at him. He sidestepped her attack, glints of orange light flickering in his eye sockets. More bones fanned out behind him, circling his body in a graceful arc before flying at Undyne, forcing her back.

“This...is just so damn cool,” Maddie breathed. Like with her own matches nobody was really trying to hurt each other. It was almost like a game, like tag with magic, carrying them around the yard.

Alphys nodded in agreement. “I k-keep trying t-to s-sketch them when they p-practice b-but they g-go so fast…”

“You’d make a killing if you ever turned it into a manga.” She knew people who would pay out the nose for a series like that. Magic, monsters, epic fight scenes. Oh yeah, it would be an overnight sensation.

“Y-yeah.”

“Maybe a slow-motion camera would help?” She suggested, thinking of a video series she often watched on Youtube. “Record their bouts, then play it back in slow-motion and pause whenever you want for reference sketches.”

“Ooh yes that would work!”

They continued to watch excitedly as Papyrus and Undyne trained, Alphys letting out a cheer every time her girlfriend got the upper hand. She never got tired of watching her, admiring her confidence, that somehow graceful strength and the pure passion that she brought to every facet of her life. Was it any wonder that she’d fallen so hard? Never in her wildest dreams had she thought Undyne would ever feel the same, that she would hold that love and passion for someone so weak, so flawed as she was. But somehow she did. With her Alphys could be stronger, be brave enough to face her mistakes and to look forward to the future that they would make together.

Sitting beside her Maddie couldn’t help the grin that spread across her face. Alphys’s cheering was just so cute. Officially my OTP, she decided, stifling a fangirl squeal. Of course to even things out she had started cheering for Papyrus. What a surprise that was to see him in action. She knew that he was strong -- she could sense his magic after all -- and she knew he’d been training with Undyne for at least a couple of years, but there was a huge difference between knowing that and really seeing him fight, even if it was just a game.

“Woo! Go Papyrus! Almost had her there!”

“No comments from the peanut gallery, punk!” Undyne called, backflipping easily over a train of projectile bones.

“Y-you can do it sweetie!”

“Kick her butt, Papyrus!” Maddie shouted, solely to needle Undyne.

“Hey!”

“I DO NOT KNOW IF I CAN DO THAT, HUMAN!” Papyrus responded as Undyne came at him with another spear. He blocked it with his bone club, bracing the end with his free hand as she pushed back against him. She would never be so careless to allow him to get to her back. “HER BACK SIDE IS VERY WELL GUARDED BUT I WILL TRY!”

“You can do it!”

It was nice, he thought as he kicked out, forcing Undyne back, to have someone in his corner. Sans, he knew, would always support him. Undyne too, when it came to it. But when they sparred like this it was rarely with an audience and Alphys, when she made time to watch them, was more than a little biased. She always cheered for Undyne. Not that he minded. He knew that he was great. He did not need a cheering person to know that. But it was nice once in a while.

Perhaps they could convince Maddie to start training with them. She was apprehensive about training with Undyne -- he could see that clearly even when she joked and laughed it off -- but maybe she would be more open to learning from him. The Great Papyrus could use a Great Student and who better than the nice human who was already a friend? He would be an excellent teacher. And besides that...he worried about her. Twice now she had been attacked simply for her association with them. One of those times had been in his very presence and he had been unable to do anything to help her, not without causing more problems for his friends and the other monsters. Papyrus had not felt so Great that night. In fact he had never felt so helpless.

As much as he hoped that relations between humans and monsters would improve it was proving to be a slow process and if Maddie continued to associate with them, to defend them as she had, then then she would continue to put herself in harm’s way. The answer was a simple one: If Papyrus would not be permitted to protect her then the human must learn to protect herself, not just with the stick-sword in a field where no harm was meant, but with her fists and anything else they could think of. Like her magic… She had been working hard on creating her shields, returning to the apartment each day in disappointment. Undyne said that she needed more incentive. Perhaps simply protecting herself wasn’t enough.

In that moment Undyne launched a volley of spears and Papyrus made a decision. He moved to dodge, then tripped spectacularly over his own booted feet. Time seemed to slow as he fell. He heard the sounds of shock from his friends, felt the soft crunch of snow beneath him, saw the spears only inches away before they shattered on a wall of shimmering blue.

Across the yard Maddie was on her feet, one hand outstretched. She didn’t even remember standing up. She had seen Papyrus trip, knew he would not be able to evade Undyne’s attack and had just….reacted. Pure instinct had the energy rushing out of her, forming a solid wall between the skeleton and the barrage of spears. She could see him beaming with pride from the other side of the shield. Shock and relief had her knees turning to jello beneath her, the glimmering wall vanishing as she wavered.

“HUMAN, YOU DID IT!”

“Heh..yeah, guess I did. You okay?” She called back.

Papyrus pushed himself to his feet, dusting off the snow that had stuck to his clothes. “I AM UNHARMED, THANK YOU, HUMAN!”

“H-h-how d-did you d-do that?” Alphys asked excitedly. She fumbled at her coat, pulling a pen and a small notepad from one zippered pocket.

“Ah...instinct?” She answered with a shrug. “I guess? I don’t really know. Maybe I was overthinking it before?” She had a bad habit of that.

“You cheater.” Undyne bounded onto the deck, grabbing Maddie and rubbing her knuckles against the girl’s skull. “You were supposed to watch, not help. Why didn’t you tell us you’d figured it out, punk?”

“I hadn’t until now,” Maddie laughed, flinching under her friend’s noogie assault. “It’s still breaking news.”

“D-do you think you c-could d-do it again?” Alphys wondered.

“Maybe?” She thought she could, hoped she could. Instinct, that was the key, so she closed her eyes, calling on the feeling that she’d had before. Thoughts of her friends, the desire to protect. There was a subtle reaching inside and when she opened her eyes she was met with a thin bubble of sheer blue surrounding Undyne. Crap, too much, she thought as her friend’s grip on her tightened reflexively. A moment of focus had the bubble fading on one side, condensing into a hemispherical shape in front of them. “Sorry,” Maddie said as Undyne released her. “I didn’t mean for it to go all the way around.

“Pft, it’s nothing,” she scoffed, taking a step back, willing away the tension that had shot through her when the bubble had appeared. She hadn’t anticipate how such a thing would affect her, being confined that way. It was unpleasant to say the least, calling up every defensive reaction that she had. She didn’t mean it, Undyne reminded herself. She’s still learning. She’s your friend. She won’t hurt you, or any of them. And hadn’t Maddie instantly made the effort to change the shield’s form to ease her discomfort the moment she realized she had surrounded them?

Now that the initial shock had worn off Undyne could admit to more than a little curiosity. She reached out one scaled hand, laying it flat against the shield, pulling it back almost immediately. “Damn, that feels weird.”

“W-weird how?”

“It didn’t hurt you, did it?” Maddie asked with a concerned frown. “You’ve got to stop testing these out on yourself.”

“Nah, it’s fine. Just...kind of fuzzy, you know?” She answered, shaking out her tingling digits. “Like my hand fell asleep or something.”

“I WANT TO TRY!” Papyrus announced, bobbing on his toes for a moment before pressing his own gloved hand against the wall. The human’s magic was blue like his brother’s but it felt strange against his bones. Not bad just...tickley. Yes, that was the word. Tickley. When he said as much Maddie and Alphys placed their hands next to his.

“Oh wow, that does feel weird,” Maddie laughed. “Like….the air is vibrating or something.” And maybe it was. Maybe that was how this shield worked, her magic holding the particles in the air stationary to block any incoming attack. “We will have to play with this in the….lab. Crap. Magic outside the lab.” She dissolved the shield with a guilty expression. “Sorry, guys. I wasn’t even thinking.”

Undyne shot a subtle glance towards Papyrus. “I think under the circumstances we can give you a pass on that. Hey, you think that thing can stop solid projectiles, or just magic?”

“Don’t know. We should test it -- hey!” She laughed as a well-aimed snowball struck her shoulder.

“You were supposed to block it, punk!”

“You were supposed to warn me,” Maddie retorted, crouching down to scrape a handful of snow from the surface of the deck.

“Okay. Catch.”

“Oh, it’s on now.” This time she was ready and Undyne’s snowball shattered harmlessly against Maddie’s shield. She threw her own snowball in retaliation, which Undyne sidestepped easily.

"Lame!" She called with a pointy-toothed grin. "You throw like a moldsmal."

"I'd be a lot more insulted if I knew what that was." Maddie laughed, dashing off the deck for fresh ammunition.

"NYEH-HEH! THIS IS A WONDERFUL NEW FORM OF TRAINING!" Papyrus ran after them, grabbing a handful of snow as he went. His aim was far better than Maddie's, his snowball striking Undyne as she moved to throw another one.

"Hey! You're supposed to be hitting the nerd's shields, not me!" She laughed.

"I am okay with this version!" Maddie said, ducking behind a tree at the far side of the yard. "Just saying!"

"I'm not! Now come out and face me like a true warrior!"

True warrior. Right. She was a pretend warrior at best -- not that she minded that too much. There wasn't much call for real warriors nowadays. But hey, might as well go with it, right? She stepped out from behind the tree, a grin on her face, spreading her arms in invitation. "Come, then! Do your worst, and we shall see who the true warrior is!"

"That's more like it!" Undyne's aim with snowballs was as deadly as with her spears. They chased each other across the yard, throwing snowballs with abandon, spouting off ridiculously dramatic challenges and giggling like children.

The one downside of the shield thus far was that Maddie could not attack and block an incoming attack at the same time. The wall was either solid or it was not so when she threw her next snowball, Undyne's came sailing through to strike her dead in the chest. "I've been hit!" She gasped, staggering back and clutching her chest dramatically as she fell to her knees.

"HUMAN, ARE YOU ALRIGHT?" Papyrus asked, running to her side.

She fought to keep a straight face as gazed up at him. He looked genuinely concerned. "I'm fine," she reassured him softly. "I'm just playing. But if we team up against Undyne I think we can can beat her." Besides, with the snow soaking into her borrowed clothing, she was getting a little cold. Then she proceeded to enact the most over-the-top death scene that she could, in the end flopping down in the snow and reaching one trembling hand towards him. "Papyrus, my great hero...avenge me!"

"FEAR NOT, HUMAN. I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, SHALL NOT LET YOU DOWN!"

 

Soaked, exhausted and grinning ear-to-ear they made their way inside to warm up.

"That," Undyne decided. "Was awesome."

"It really was," Maddie laughed, rubbing her hands over her flushed cheeks. "Man, I haven't done that since I was a kid. I forgot how much fun that was."

"IT WAS AN EXCELLENT BATTLE. WE MUST ADD SNOWBALLS TO OUR TRAINING REGIMEN." Having lived most of his life in Snowdin he didn't know why he hadn't thought of it earlier. He and his brother had spent many afternoons outside throwing snowballs and building snowmonsters. Well, he built snowmonsters, and beautifully well-crafted pieces they were too. Sans often just made a pile of snow, stuck a couple of sticks in it for arms, and wrote his name on it.

"Hell yeah." Undyne nodded, taking the towel that Alphys passed to her and rubbing it over her dripping red braid.

"Thanks Alphys," Maddie said as another one was passed to her. "Geez we're soaked, haha!" She scrubbed it over her face and head, causing the damp copper tendrils to stick up in a curly halo around her head.

"Y-you're welcome," Alphys smiled, a light blush rising under her scales. "I've g-got some water on for t-tea as well."

Her girlfriend grinned, grabbing her in a strong one-armed hug and pressing a smacking kiss to the top of her head. "You are the best."

"You guy are so cute."

"Course we are." As if there could ever be any doubt.

As Maddie retreated to the upstairs bathroom to change into her own dry clothes. the former guard captain glanced towards Papyrus. "You know, you surprised me today, punk. You haven't tripped like that in ages."

Papyrus sipped his tea innocently. "I KNOW. I WAS QUITE DISAPPOINTED. IT IS LUCKY THAT THE HUMAN WAS ABLE TO CONJURE HER SHIELD IN TIME."

"You fell on purpose."

"I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT." He replied, fighting back the smile that wanted to emerge at her suggestion. Of course Undyne would know, as expected of the Captain of the Royal Guard. "SHE HAS BEEN VERY FRUSTRATED THAT SHE COULD NOT MAKE HER SHIELDS WORK. I AM PLEASED THAT SHE WAS ABLE TO MAKE THEM WORK TODAY."

Undyne chuckled, shaking her head. "You're a good friend, Papyrus. You big nerd."

"OF COURSE I AM! THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS GREAT IN MANY THINGS. ESPECIALLY AT BEING FRIENDS."

 

Maddie spent the morning of New Year's Eve making peach buttercream for the chocolate cupcakes that she had made the night before. Of course it was December so peaches weren't exactly in season but she'd found for this recipe that frozen peaches worked just as well as fresh ones. She made too much frosting -- of course she did. She always made too much frosting, but better too much than too little, right? It was, she thought as she swept a spoon around the edge of the bowl for a taste, a nice compliment to the chocolate. Maybe she'd make some chocolate shortbread or brownies to use up the excess.

 

"How do you do that swirly thing on top?" Sans asked curiously, hopping upon the stool across the counter from her.

"Piping tip," Maddie answered, handing over the metal-tipped triangular bag for him to see. "The star shape on the end there makes the ridges. And if you hold it vertically you can make flowers."

"Cool!" Not that he was fussed about the flowers but the frosting was damn good.

"I've also got an injector tip, which is how I got the chocolate ganache into the cupcakes."

Sans' eyes lit with interest. "Oh really?"

She pulled the other piping bag from the glass she'd been using to hold it and passed it over. "I'm done with that one so you can eat what's left in there if you want."

"Twist my arm." He swiped one bony finger over the tip then stuck it in his mouth to taste. Oh yeah, that was good. Papyrus would love it. "Hey Pap, c'mere!"

"WHAT IS IT SANS?" He asked, poking his head out of his bedroom door, action figure in hand.

"Come try this."

Maddie laughed. "Hurry, before he eats it all."

Tempting, so tempting, but they all knew he wouldn't. He would always share with Papyrus. Of course he would; he'd do anything for him. Kill for him, die for him -- hadn't he done both a hundred times in a hundred other timelines? But that was too much, way too much for a day that was supposed to be fun so Sans grinned lazily, swiping his fingertip over the metal nozzle again. "You know that's not a bad idea. Sorry bro, too slow. It's all mine."

"SANS IT IS VERY RUDE TO INVITE ME TO SHARE AND THEN REFUSE TO DO SO," Papyrus chided as he made his way to the kitchen.

"If you want it you're going to have to come get it," his brother smirked, holding it away from him playfully.

A short tussle resulted, ending with both of their hands being completely covered in chocolate and Maddie leaning against the counter, laughing so hard her ribs hurt. Unable to resist, she snapped a quick picture on her phone to send to Alphys.

"You guys are too cute."

"WHY THANK YOU, HUMAN! WE ARE ADORABLE, EVEN MY BROTHER WHEN HE TRIES."

Sans snorted. Cute? Right. "I think you win the prize there, bro."

That was true. Papyrus had the gentle nature and general innocence of a golden retriever puppy -- a very large, very enthusiastic golden retriever puppy -- which was pretty high up there on the cute scale. But just as older dogs maintained their air of adorable, Sans was cute in the same way, especially when he was with his brother.

"Oh I don't know," Maddie teased. "You have your moments."

He didn't quite know what to say about that and elected to say nothing as a light blue blush became visible under the chocolate that smeared his face.

"Aw, and he blushes! Totally cute." She laughed, poking at his chocolate-covered cheek.

He swatted at her hand though he couldn't stop the grin. "Cut it out."

"Sweet chocolate skellies!" Maddie sang with a giggle. Okay, maybe it's time to cut down on the sugar... Still snickering she retrieved a couple of dishcloths from the drawer and wet them in the sink before passing one to each of the boys so they could clean off as she boxed up the cupcakes and put them in the fridge to chill. "What time were Alphys and Undyne expecting us again?"

Sans shrugged, wiping a streak of chocolate from his cheekbone. "Dunno. Some time after five-ish?"

She checked the clock on the stove, concluded that she had a couple hours to tidy up and grab some lunch before she had to start getting ready. "Okay, got some time then... What do you guys want to do for lunch?"

"SPAGHETTI!"

 

Maddie took her time getting ready. After a gloriously long shower she took the time to give herself a quick mani-pedi, slicking her nails with pale orchid polish to compliment the dress she'd chosen. Purchased for a friend's wedding a little over a year before, the lavender-silver stretch taffeta number was a particular favourite, one that she was happy to have a chance to wear again. The sleeveless sheath hugged her body to just above her knees, its plunging v-neck mitigated with a beaded inset of silver lace. Her curling copper hair she allowed to dry naturally before pinning it up, allowing a few strands to fall loose to frame her face. Her makeup she kept in theme, using shades of pale purple and white to play up the blue of her eyes. As a final finishing touch she added silver and amethyst drop earrings and the silver heirloom charm bracelet that she had inherited from her great aunt. Electric purple peep-toe pumps covered her feet.

She looked, she thought as she did a slow turn in front of her full-length mirror, pretty damn good. There were so few chances for her to dress up like this -- SCA events notwithstanding. That was an entirely different kind of dressing up -- that it was kind of nice to pull out all the stops like this. Still, a whisper of doubt poked at her. "Hey guys," she called, snagging her silver clutch from where she'd left it on the dresser as she headed out into the hall. "Is this too much? Alphys said semi-formal but --- whoo don't you two clean up nice!"

The brothers looked over from where they sat perched on the kitchen stools.

"WOWIE! HUMAN YOU LOOK VERY NICE AS WELL!" Papyrus exclaimed, brushing off his pristine black dress pants as he got to his feet. He'd paired them with a slim-fitting white dress shirt and cuff links in the shape of -- wow, really? -- little plates of spaghetti. His taste in clothing was usually so eclectic so it was a little strange seeing him look so...put together. A nice kind of strange, like seeing one's goofy but good-natured kid brother dressed up for his first date.

Sans conversely looked significantly less comfortable. Gone were the tee-shirt, hoodie and baggy basketball shorts, replaced with black slacks and a dress shirt of navy blue and turquoise pinstripes. In the place of his usual tatty slippers were a pair of shiny black shoes. Like his brother he had forgone a tie but he kept fidgeting with the cuffs and collar, tugging at them absently.

"Aren't I lucky. I get to arrive with the two best-looking boys of the bunch on my arm." She grinned, striding over to them. “But really, is this okay? I won’t be overdressed?”

Sans chuckled, shaking his head. Considering the night’s guest list she’d be more likely to stand out because she was human than because of how she was dressed. “Nah, you’re fine.”

“Okay. Cool. Thanks. Sorry. You may not have noticed but I’m kind of a crazy person so I tend to go through a minor crisis when I have to go to events and stuff.”

“I may have noticed something of the sort.”

"Your subtle underlayments of sarcasm are noted. Like I said, I’m a crazy person. So who's all coming tonight?" Maddie asked as she pulled her coat -- a belted, cape-like design of deep blue wool that she'd made the previous winter -- from the hall closet. "Toriel and Frisk, obviously. And Alphys said something about Mettaton visiting--"

Sans grumbled something uncomplimentary under his breath at the mention of the robot as Papyrus let out a squeal of joy. "METTATON HAS BEEN VISITING OVER CHRISTMAS," he informed her eagerly. "WHICH IS VERY KIND OF HIM AS HE IS SO BUSY WITH HIS WONDERFUL NEW PROGRAM. HE SAID HE WOULD NOT MISS THIS NEW YEARS WITH US FOR ALL OF THE SHOES IN THE VOGUE WAREHOUSE -- WHATEVER THAT IS."

"Pretty much the El Dorado of fabulous footwear," Maddie laughed. "And he'd know. Isn't he supposed to be on the cover of next month's issue?"

"OH YES, THAT IS THE MAGAZINE WITH THE FANCY CLOTHES." He'd found more than a few issues while searching through the dump in the Underground. "METTATON WILL BE THE FIRST ROBOT ON THE COVER. HE IS VERY PROUD."

"I bet," Maddie nodded. "It is kind of a huge deal. I can't wait to see what they put him in for his photoshoot." Oh to be the stylist on that set. What fun that would be!

"I'm sure he'll be the most beautiful calculator the world has ever seen." Sans chuckled.

"HE IS NOT A CALCULATOR!" Papyrus protested as they locked the apartment door and made their way down the stairs.

"Sure looks like one to me."

"NOT ANYMORE! HIS NEW BODY IS MUCH MORE PLEASING."

His brother looked pained at the phrasing. Maddie covered her mouth with one gloved hand, holding back a snort of laughter. "Ah. I hear Asgore is coming too," she put in, trying to change the subject.

If anything Sans looked less pleased. "Yeah, heard he might."

Given what he'd told her that first day she met Asgore, she wasn't entirely surprised. He told her what he knew of the relationship between the King and Queen, the child that they bore together, and of the first human child to fall into the Underground, the one that they had raised as her own. How the human child had died and that their adoptive brother Asriel had been attacked by humans when he tried to return their body to the surface. How he had died in his father's arms. The loss of a child, of any child, was a tragic thing. To lose them both in one day....unspeakable. But grief takes different forms, even in monsters. Toriel pulled back, retreating into the home that they had shared, maintaining everything exactly as it had been, as if any moment her children might burst through the door. Asgore turned to his duty as King. Even knowing what it would take to free their people, he had refused to harm that first fallen child. And now the humans had robbed him of the only child he had left. On that day he declared that any human who fell into the Underground would be brought to him. The action caused a rift between himself and Toriel that could not be reconciled even after decades of separation.

One by one six more children fell from Mount Ebott into the Undergound, and one by one those six children fell to the King's trident. Frisk was to have been the last. There were conflicting reports about what had happened that day. Frisk had gone to the citadel to face Asgore alone but when the time came to finally defeat him, chose to spare him instead. The friends that Frisk had made gathered to support them but something went wrong. Nobody was really sure what happened after that. The next thing they knew the barrier that had kept them prisoner for so long was gone. They were all free.

Even after almost a year on the surface Toriel had yet to forgive her ex-husband for the acts that he had committed.

After hearing what had happened Maddie remained conflicted. As barbarous an act as murdering the children had been, when it came down to it were those lives worth the freedom of an entire civilization? Asgore had made a wartime decision, had done what he deemed right under the circumstances. And at least he’d had the horns to take the sin upon himself instead of ordering someone else to do it. A lesser man -- monster -- might have given the order to the captain of his guards, or worse, planted the suggestion in the mind of an idealistic young monster who wanted to join said guards. But he hadn’t.

The need for such decisions was over now, hopefully. The peace between humans and monsters was still shaky, but there was progress being made every day. It was time to lay down arms and work together. At least that was what Maddie thought. She would not judge Asgore for what he had done. Those days were over now. Now, she thought, maybe they could be friends.

The small cluster of cars parked in front of the house told them that the party had already started. Maddie could pick out Toriel’s SUV and couldn’t help but drool a bit over the sleek black sports car parked next to it. The pink bedazzled licenseplace holder confirmed her suspicion; this fabulous piece of machinery belonged to Mettaton.

Sans shook his head at the sight. The pink bling was a bit much but he had to admit the calculator had good taste in cars.

They trooped up to the door, arms laden with desserts and the quiche that Sans had made earlier that day. A canvas bag of brightly-wrapped packages hung from Maddie’s arm.

Frisk opened the door when they knocked, throwing their arms open in an enthusiastic greeting. They too were dressed for the occasion in a brand new sweater hand-made by Toriel.

“Hey kiddo,” Sans grinned, ruffling their hair. “Happy New Year. You guys are here early.”

They giggled, swatting at his hand. _Mom wanted to help set up._

“Well then, perhaps you can tell us where we can put these?” Maddie suggested, holding up her trays of cupcakes, laughing as Frisk reached for them eagerly. “Other than in your tummy.”

Frisk stuck their tongue out at her as they let the group of them inside to the kitchen. The small dining room table had been pulled from its alcove for the occasion, the rarely-used leaf inserts expanding it so it filled the small space. Someone had covered it with a black confetti-printed cloth. Already it groaned with food, a testament to Undyne and Toriel’s collaboration.

Through some mysterious sorcery Sans managed to make a spot for the quiche near one corner of the table, leaving Maddie and Papyrus to carry the desserts to the kitchen.

“Hey, you guys made it!” Undyne grinned at them from the cut-out.

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Maddie grinned. “You should have told us people were coming early. We’d have come to help set up too.”

“Wasn’t much to set up,” she admitted, absently adjusting the French cuffs of her claret-coloured dress-shirt. At Alphys’s request she had paired it with a pinstriped waistcoat and slim-tailored black trousers. Personally she felt a bit like a waiter or a butler or something but given the look that her girlfriend had given her when she came down the stairs… Well maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing. “Between Toriel and Mettaton. Though we could have used a referee when they got to fighting over how much glitter confetti was appropriate -- Oh, just put those anywhere. There’s counter space….somewhere. What is all this? I see the cupcakes but what are those things?”

“MADDIE HAS MADE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE TARTS FOR US!” Papyrus informed her, setting his trays in the fridge so they would stay chilled a bit longer.

“Moose? What did you do with the antlers?”

“I mounted them on the wall over my bed with the rest of my trophies.”

Undyne stared. “What, really?”

“No,” she laughed. “No moose were harmed in the making of this mousse. Only chocolate.”

“Ah, okay.” Though the small pout on her face said that she was a little disappointed.

“Would it help if I said I treated the chocolate as I would my enemies, granting them a slow death by melting on the stove?”

Undyne snorted. “You’re such a nerd.”

“Yeah but you like nerds. You luuuuuurve them!”

“Shut it you.” The playful punch she threw out almost had Maddie falling off her heels. “Woah. Oops. Probably shouldn’t be doing that when you’re wearing stilts, eh?”

“Probably not,” she agreed. “My feet will hate me at the end of the night but I couldn’t resist. And they went with the dress.” Now free of her chocolatey burdon she was finally unable to undo her coat, letting it slide down her arms.

Undyne let out a slow whistle. “Shiny. I don’t usually do the whole girly dress-up thing but looks great. Mettaton will love it.”

“I will take that as a compliment.” Maddie grinned.

Just then a tall figure in an impeccably tailored suit glided into the room. “Undyne dah-ling, where are you hiding the champagne? I didn’t bring those bottles of Cristal simply for ornamentation.”

“You dork, it’s way too early.” Undyne said, shaking her head. “We’re saving that for when the ball drops. You’re about seven hours too early.”

“It is never too early for Cristal!” He protested indignantly, shooting the cuffs of the bright magenta button-down shirt that he wore under his jacket. “Surely association with me has taught you that much.”

“Association with you has taught me the ridiculous levels that people on the surface like to waste their money. Who needs that snooty bubbly stuff anyway?”

“People with a great deal of money and an intense desire to show off,” Maddie suggested with a snicker. “And good taste in expensive champagne.” Or so she assumed it was good. She wouldn’t know, being the average person and not yet having had the chance to try three-hundred-dollar-a-bottle champagne.

Undyne let out a bark of laughter. “Ha! She sure got you pegged.”

“My taste is perfect,” Mettaton insisted, though the comment was not far off. “And what is the point of being a fabulous celebrity if you can’t show off once in a while?”

He had a point. Kind of. “Whatever. It’s still too early.”

The robot pouted, his lips curving into a perfect silver mou. “Spoil sport.” Then his eyes fell back to Maddie. His posture instantly straightened, his expression instantly curious. “I don’t believe we’ve met.”

She chuckled, shaking her head. “Not yet. I’m Maddie. Nice to meet you.” She offered her hand to shake, a light blush rising in her cheeks as he pressed it to his lips.

“The pleasure is all mine, darling,” he smiled, his obsidian eyes glinting with interest. She wasn’t what he expected. Between the history he had learned as a child, Alphys’s anime, and his own collection of discarded human media he was anticipating something more like Morgan Le Fey or the green-faced cackler from the Wizard of Oz. The girl standing in front of him was more….Sabrina. He hoped she didn’t have to rhyme when she cast. That would be just embarrassing. But she just looked so normal. He was almost disappointed. “Alphys has told me so much about you. She says you’re quite the magical protege.”

Maddie laughed. “I guess you could say that? I’ve only been working on it for a month or so but we’ve had so much fun with it.”

“Oh, I bet you have.” Especially if Alphys was involved. If she hadn’t started at least drawing manga splash-pages about it he’d eat his boots.

“You should join us some time,” she offered. “It’s no Vogue shoot -- and congratulations on that, by the way -- but it’s pretty fun, especially now I’ve made some headway and can actually do something when Undyne throws office supplies at me.”

Undyne snorted. “You laugh now. Now you got it right I’m going to have to start using something better than a stapler.”

“Can I put in a request for no more spears to the face?”

“Why? You can block them now, can’t you?”

“I blocked once,” Maddie pointed out. “I’d hate to find out too late that it was a fluke and be made into a nerd-kebab.”

“You don’t seem to have much faith in my control.”

“Sure I do, when it comes to your magic. Impulse control, not so much.”

Undyne snorted. “Get lost, punk. I hope you fall off those stilts of yours.”

“Mean. Just for that I may just forget to give you your present later.”

Her golden eye lit with interest. “Present? Gimmie.”

“I don’t know,” Maddie hummed contemplatively. “You did snark on my shoes.”

“They’re just shoes, you have, like, a hundred pairs.”

“About thirty actually,” she corrected. “And I love these shoes.”

“They are fabulous,” Mettaton agreed.

“Thank you. Oh, and your tailor is brilliant. The cut of your suit is absolutely perfect.”

“Oh, why thank you darling. Armani does do good work, don’t they?”

“Armani? Well that explains it.” She curled her fingers into her hands to prevent herself from reaching out to touch the sleeve. How often would she get a chance to come in contact with Armani?

Undyne let out a soft growl, then paused with a small smirk curving her lips as she leaned back casually against the counter. “Okay, but if I don’t get my present then you can’t have yours.”

Drat. “Oh okay,” Maddie laughed. “Gift exchange after supper?”

“That works,” Undyne agreed. “Asgore’s not here yet anyway. Dinner’s kind og a grab-and-go deal so you could probably start on that now if you wanted.”

That was welcome news as Maddie was starving. “Sounds good to me. Should probably start now before the hoard gets to it.”

“Good plan. I’m going to grab a drink and maybe sample one of these mousse things.”

Maddie laughed. “Let me know what you think. And try to save one for Frisk. I promised them death by chocolate and I’d hate to disappoint them -- and before you say anything, it’s just an expression. Unless you’re a dog. Oh God, Dogamy and Dogaressa aren’t coming tonight, are they?”

“Nah, they’re spending New Years with their families.” They tended to do big group things now given how many of their relatives had fused together.

“Okay. Cool. Not going to accidentally poison anyone. This is good.” She sighed in relief. “Out of curiosity does chocolate affect dog monsters the same way it does other dogs?”

“Don’t hink so,” Undyne frowned, pulling a beer from the fridge. “I’ve seen Dogamy drink hot chocolate before so I’m going to say ‘no’.”

“Okay, good to know.” Maddie nodded. “And now, food.”

Mettaton watched her leave with a bemused smile. “So that was the human.”

“Yep.”

“She’s...not what I expected.”

Undyne snorted. I don’t think she’s what any of us expected,” she told him.

He wondered if that was a good thing or not.

“But she’s pretty great. Not just for a human. We’ve had some….well, you know. The magic and all. But I trust her.”

That in itself said a lot. It could take a while for Undyne to warm up to people. Win her trust and she was one of the truest friends you could have. Lose her trust and, well...those spears of hers weren’t just for decoration.

“She’s got good taste,” Mettaton shrugged. She had, after all, admired his tailoring -- and shown appropriate appreciation for the designer. “And those shoes!”

“Knew you’d like those,” she chuckled, selecting one of the tarts from the tray her friend had left in the fridge and taking a testing bite. The sound of pure appreciation she let out would have ahd Alphys blushing. “Oh wow. Okay, these? All mine. Nobody else gets any.”

 

Maddie wasn’t sure where to start. There were platters of cheese and sliced veggies, heated serving trays of buttery mashed potatoes, perogies, shrimp and potato nests, and popcorn chicken bites. Flaky biscuits fresh from the oven sat beside dishes of butter and tureens of gravy. Someone had cut out a giant bread bowl and filled it with spinach dip and tucked it near the corner where Sans’ quiche resided.

Eenie-meenie-miney…….all of it.

She was just reaching for a plate when she felt a light tap on her arm. Frisk stood just behind her, one hand tucked behind their back.

“Hey Frisk! What have you got there?”

The child grinned, producing a red-ribboned bundle of green leaves with little white berries from behind their back.

“Mistletoe, huh?” Maddie laughed. “Now where’d you get that?”

Frisk smiled back at her, shrugging innocently, then tapped themselves on the cheek with their free hand.

She shook her head in amusement. “Alright, sneaky-squeaky, you get a kiss. But only cuz you’re so cute.”

But just as her lips were about to brush their cheek, Frisk turned their head, pecking her lightly on the mouth before running off, giggling triumphantly .

Maddie turned quickly back to the table to hide her flaming face. Not fast enough apparently as the next sound she heard was an unmistakably maternal chuckle. “Ah...hey Toriel.”

“I see that my child has gotten to you as well,” she smiled. “They did the same thing to Alphys a moment ago.”

“Oh God, is she still conscious?” Maddie laughed.

“Oh yes. Surprisingly she did not faint this time. She did fall off her chair though.”

“Please tell me somebody got a picture.”

Toriel shook her head, her hands smoothing the front of her forest green party dress. “Unfortunately not.”

“Boo.” She sighed. Then she had an idea. “Ooh, have they gotten Sans or Papyrus yet? Or Undyne?”

“No, I do not believe so.”

Maddie snickered. “This should be fun.”

 

 

The next victim of Frisk’s mischief was Asgore. They caught him right as he came through the door, his arm laden with a festive centerpiece of blue and purple flowers with gold and silver swirling accents that sprayed from the arrangement like fireworks. It was a fun piece, he though. Festive. Whimsical. He hoped Tori would like it. Not that he’d made it with her in mind. He hadn’t. Oh who was he kidding? Every one that he made was in part for her.

So with his thoughts full of worry and of hope he was not expecting to be ambushed by a mistletoe-bearing Frisk. Such a precocious child. He thought, red-faced, as he followed the child into the foyer. Just like...them. They had been precocious too, so full of mischief that they often dragged their brother into. Asriel had always been the more cautious of his children but he had loved his adopted sibling wholeheartedly, had admired their straight-forward nature. He would have followed them anywhere. And in the end they had gone where their parents could not follow.

He would have loved the surface. They both would have. So much had changed since his adopted child had fallen. Perhaps in this time they all could have found a place here.

But he couldn’t think of that now. This was to be a night of joy and celebration. The end of the old year and the beginning of something new. Their first full year on the surface. He was determined to make it a great one.

Asgore gave a small wave when he spotted Alphys in the archway that led to the living room. “Howdy!”

“A-Asgore! Hi! Glad you could m-make it.” She smiled. Then, spotting Frisk, she blushed darkly and began to nervously smooth the polka-dotted skirt of her tea-length dress.

Asgore chuckled, quickly guessing the reason for her sudden awkwardness. “I see that I am not the only one that Frisk has decided to play this trick on.”

Alphys nodded.

“They got me too,” Maddie told them, entering the foyer from the dining room on the other side, a small plate of food in her hand. “It seems we have a serial kisser on our hand.”

Frisk smiled at her, batting their eyes innocently.

“Nice try munchkin,” she laughed. “But I’ve got your number now. Besides, now Asgore’s here we can open presents.”

They threw their arms into the air in a silent cheer then ran off to herd everyone else together by the tree.

It didn’t take much urging. In less than five minutes Frisk had gathered everyone in the living room around the Christmas tree. They sat on the floor with Papyrus beside the stack of wrapped parcels, bouncing on their knees with excitement. While they had opened most of their gifts on Christmas day there was still a small pile waiting to be unwrapped: one from Maddie for each of them, and a few from them for her.

“A’right,” Undyne grinned, rubbing her hands together hungrily. “Which of you wants to go first?”

Immediately two hands shot up -- one very small, the other very large and very bony.

“Perhaps we should pass the gifts out first,” Toriel suggested with a fond chuckle.

“OOH! I WILL DO IT!” Papyrus offered, diving towards the presents. The small packages flew through the air to land in the laps of their intended recipients -- even, to their surprise, Asgore and Mettaton.

Undyne didn’t hesitate to rip into hers the moment it reached her hands. The ribbon and sparkly paper fell away revealing a soft fleece scarf in a warm gold colour. A pair of crossed spears was embroidered on the bottom in iridescent turquoise thread. Beside her Alphys unwrapped a teal scarf with a pair of atoms embroidered in gold.

“Hey! We have each other’s colours!” Undyne grinned, tossing her scarf over her shoulders before giving her girlfriend the same treatment.

Maddie smiled. “I thought it would be cute if you matched.”

“Oh Maddie, this is lovely,” Toriel beamed, holding up a violet scarf with a pair of rainbow coloured snails on each end.

Asgore’s was purple as well, the bottom bordered with a design of small yellow flowers. He could admit to more than a little surprise as he ran his fingers gently over the delicate design. He’d had no expectation of a gift -- why would he when they had met only once before? And, he noted with no small amount of joy, it matched Toriel’s. “Thank you Maddie,” he said with a warm smile. “It is beautiful. You are very kind.”

She coloured at the praise. “Ah -- thanks. I’m glad you like it. The flowers were a lot of fun to -- oof!” She coughed out a breath as Frisk flung themself at her and wrapped her in an enthusiastic hug, one she happily returned. “Hey kiddo, you like your scarf?”

They nodded happily, hugging her again.

Frisk’s had been a bit of a challenge. She’d gone through several designs before deciding on a border of eight coloured hearts -- green, blue, purple, orange, green, yellow, red, and white -- on a background of red fleece. One for them and each of their friends.

Right before they pulled away Maddie whispered in their ear. “You should get Papyrus next.”

They returned to their seat giggling.

“NYEH-HEH-HEH! LOOK! MINE HAS A LITTLE FLUFFY BUNNY ON IT! AND IT’S A SUPERHERO!”

“Suits you bro,” Sans smiled. His scarf was royal blue with delicate stars of silver thread forming different constellations. “Thanks kid.”

“You’re welcome. I’m glad you like it.” She’d had the hardest time coming up with a design for his but the moment she saw the telescope in his room she knew what to do. Now he could take the open sky with him.

Mettaton had gotten stars too. His were big and bold, embroidered on a background of bright magenta that matched his shirt. His estimation of the human girl rose several notches. Not only did she have great taste, she had hand-made a gift for someone that she had never met simply because they were a friend of her friends. “Darling this is gorgeous!” He declared, stroking his metallic fingers over the soft fabric. “And hand-made of course.”

“Wait,” Undyne blinked. “You made these? All of them?”

Maddie nodded. “Yeah. I wanted to do something personal, something that reflected each of you so...yeah.” She only wished she’d had time to hand-embroider them but with the rush of holiday orders she had gotten she’d had to use her machine instead.

Her friends however did not seem to care how she did the details as she found herself buried in a mountain of monster hugs.

“Guys,” she laughed. “Air. Breathing.”

“Perhaps we should allow her to open her gifts now,” Toriel suggested with a laugh.

“OOH! YES!” Papyrus exclaimed, extracting himself from the hug pile. “OPEN OURS FIRST!” Beaming in anticipation he took a colourfully wrapped package from under the tree and passed it over to her once she had her arms free.

She opened it carefully, setting the paper aside to reveal a smooth wooden box. Her face lit like the Christmas tree when she saw what was inside. Nestled in soft blue cloth was the silver circlet that she had admired at the renaissance faire three months before. Silver bands curved and intertwined like vines, coming to an elegant point in the middle. An iridescent stone -- rainbow moonstone, she thought -- was set into the center. “Aw, you guys -- it’s beautiful!”

“Credit goes to this guy here,” Sans grinned, nudging his brother proudly. “Couldn’t figure out what to get ya’ then Paps remembered the ren faire.”

“THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS AN EXCELLENT GIFT-CHOOSER,” Papyrus nodded. “BUT SANS WAS ALSO VERY HELPFUL. HE FOUND THE CARD THAT YOU HAD GOTTEN FROM THE CRAFTING HUMAN SO THAT WE MIGHT CONTACT HER.”

“You guys are the best,” Maddie smiled, setting the box down so that she could hug each of them.

“Good pick, nerds.” Undyne said with approval. “Come on, open ours next.” She pushed another box towards them, this one about the length of Maddie’s forearm and covered in yellow bow-printed wrapping paper.

Inside on a bed of deep green fabric was a set of leather bracers inset with gold, silver and bronze dragon-like scales. Maddie’s jaw dropped. “Oh -- Oh wow. They’re beautiful. And totally badass. Look at the scales! Where did you guys find these?”

“We have a f-friend who makes armor,” Alphys answered. “They’re t-taking some courses at the university r-right now and we ran into them a few weeks ago.”

 _Temmie?_ Frisk signed curiously, thinking back to the creature that he had met in the Underground and their wish to go to ‘colleg’.

“Yeah! You know them?” Undyne asked.

Frisk nodded.

“They do pretty good stuff. Alphys and I worked with them a bit on the design.” Refined it a bit -- okay a lot -- as the original sketch may or may not have been done in crayon. It still looked cool but detailed technical drawings with scale and everything were often more helpful during the overall design process -- or at least so said Alphys.

“You designed them too? Aw you guys…” She hugged them both tightly. “Thank you. They’re wonderful.” When she pulled away she took one from the box, pulled it over her bracelet-free hand and pulled the laces tight. “These are so badass. Does Temmie have a business card or something? I’ve got some SCA buddies who would give their left arm for a set of these.”

Undyne laughed. “I don’t think they’ve thought that far ahead but I’ll get ‘em to call you later.”

“Thanks!” She smiled, running her fingertips over the cool metal of the scales. A tap at her shoulder had her turning. Frisk knelt beside her, holding a third wrapped box. “You next, huh?”

Frisk nodded, holding the box towards her.

“Thanks kiddo.” Maddie opened the box to find a beautiful knit sweater in a rich ultramarine. “Oh I love this colour! This is gorgeous! Ooh and it’s so soft!” She sighed, rubbing the fabric against her cheek. “Toriel, did you make this?”

Toriel nodded, smiling at the praise. “I found the wool a while back and thought the colour would be perfect for you.”

“I love it! Thank you Toriel.” She said, hugging her tightly.

“ I am glad that you like it, my dear.” She smiled, returning the hug. “And Frisk wanted to add something for you too, if you check the bottom of the box.”

Sure enough, tucked gently into the bottom of the box was a piece of crisp white paper upon which Frisk had drawn all of them together at the beach. “Oh Frisk this is great! I am totally framing this to put in the living room.” She tugged them in, hugging them tightly. “Thanks munchkin. Thanks all you guys. You’re the best.”

 

 

There was still a couple of hours until midnight. The food had been mostly devoured but for some treats and nibbly bits set out to snack upon. Silly metallic paper party hats had been distributed among the guests, worn with varying degrees of amusement and resignation. The lively chatter that had begun the evening had slowed to a companionable lull as New Years Rockin’ Eve played on tv. The opinions on modern music were mixed among the guests, the general consensus being that showmanship had improved over the years but the quality of the music...not so much. At last Frisk got tired of the program and hit the mute button on the remote before grabbing Undyne’s hand and pulling her towards the piano.

“Guess you were getting tired of the teenie-boppers too, hey?” She laughed as they sat her on the bench. Which she didn’t blame them for. Most of the groups now didn’t even play their own instruments. They just flounced around the stage in tight pants. That Adele chick sure had the pipes though. Had to give her serious props for that. “Fast or slow, kid?”

 _You pick_ , they signed.

She started slow, her fingers picking out a tune she remembered from the underground, then for fun transitioned to the more upbeat melody of ‘For Real’ from the anime Gensoumaden Saiyuki, which she’d found the sheet music for the week before. Alphys, recognizing the tune, started to quietly sing along.

_As you stand lonely in front of me_  
_The melancholy that flows from your back captivates me_  
_I want to embrace you with a nonchalant love_

Undyne smiled. Alphys didn’t sing often, and almost never when there were other people around, which was a shame. Her soft soprano was sweet, if shy, and it was one of the few instances where the stutter -- which Undyne felt was pretty adorable most of the time -- all but disappeared. As the chorus repeated she joined her voice to her girlfriend’s.

_What are we going to find_  
_By shredding time_  
_I will be by your side_  
_If that is gentleness_

_What are we going to set our eyes on?_  
_The truth that you grabbed_  
_By extending your hand_  
_Let it go_  
_Let us trust each other_

Her own voice was bolder, rougher. She’d always been more of a rocker than a crooner -- Stevie Nicks over Taylor Swift -- but she could be soft when she needed to be. She used that now, their voices blending in harmony.

Maddie’s inner romantic sap sighed at the sight of them. They were just so sweet together, she couldn’t bring herself to ruin the moment by joining in the song. She did however pull out her phone to record them as they started into the last verse.

_What are we going to find_  
_By shredding time_  
_I will be by your side_  
_If that is gentleness_

_What are we going to set our eyes on?_  
_The truth that you grabbed_  
_By extending your hand_  
_Let it go_  
_Let us trust each other_

Mettaton applauded wildly. “Brava! Brava! Darlings that was lovely!”

Alphys blushed darkly, shrinking back into her chair. “Ah...t-thanks Mettaon.”

“ENCORE!” Papyrus called out from his spot on the floor.

“M-maybe...maybe later.”

Sans nudged Maddie with one bony elbow. “You should play.”

“What--me?” She blinked. “I don’t play piano.”

“I meant your violin.”

“You mean the one that’s at home tucked into the ottoman in the living room?”

He shrugged. “I can grab it.”

“Sans I’m not going to let you drive all the way home just to get my violin.”

“Who said anything about driving?” He asked with a mischievous smile. “I know a shortcut.” He pushed himself off the couch and sauntered lazily into the foyer, emerging from the kitchen and wandering through the dining room to rejoin them a moment later, her bow and violin in hand.

Maddie goggled. “How--?”

The skeleton chuckled, wiggling the fingers of his free hand. “Maaaaagic.”

“Hell yeah! Nerd’s got her violin. Now we can really get this party started.”

Maddie laughed, taking the instrument as it was handed to her and giving it a quick tune. “Guess so. Upbeat or sappy?”

“Kick it up, punk.”

“Alright.” She considered for a minute as she pushed herself from the couch. “Hm...okay, how about this?” She put bow to strings and launched into Lindsey Stirling’s ‘Roundtable Rival’, a particular favourite of hers. And the music video was just cool because hell yes steampunk. Normally she’d be dancing around with the song but given she was wearing stilettos...better to not.

She finished the song with a flourish, her breath coming a bit heavy after the fast-paced song.

“Not bad,” Undyne grinned as the others applauded. “How’s your improv?”

“I do okay,” she answered with a smile. “Feel like giving these guys something to dance to?”

“Let’s do it! On your feet, losers. Let’s see what you’ve got.”

 

They danced themselves breathless and laughed until their ribs ached. Alphys found herself pulled into a spinning step by Frisk until Mettaton challenged them all to a pose-off. Even Sans got in on the action after his brother dragged him to his feet. Surprisingly they both did a pretty damn good moonwalk, which inspired Maddie and Undyne to switch mid-song to Mickael Jackson’s ‘Smooth Criminal’.

At this point Maddie had to get in on the action, stepping out of her shoes and nudging them under the piano so she could dance as she played. She went into a slow spin on her toes, throwing in a couple of quick steps that she remembered from the ballroom classes that she’d taken on a lark a few years before.

“Oh, is that how it is?” Sans chuckled as she faced them. “It’s on now.”

Of course Mettaton could not resist the urge to show off and stepped in as well, Frisk jumping up to dance in the middle.

The brothers had some moves. Maddie was impressed. She’d have killed for a partner that danced as well as they did when she was taking lessons. Grinning she cranked up the violin for the chorus, moving towards them with a smooth cha-cha step.

Mettaton took this as his cue to whip out a fedora from -- well nobody really knew where the fedora came from but suddenly there was one on his head. As the last chorus played out he sashayed forward, grabbing Papyrus mid-step and spinning him around, dropping him into a dramatic dip as Alphys squealed encouragement.

Maddie lowered her violin, dropping onto the arm of the couch with a broad smile. “That,” she said between breaths. “Was awesome.”

“Hell yeah it was,” Undyne grinned as their friends applauded.

Mettaton and Frisk bowed repeatedly, blowing kisses to their adoring fans.

“Gotta say, you boys got the moves.” Maddie set the violin down on the coffee table, grabbing the water glass she’d set down earlier.

“NYEH-HEH-HEH! OF COURSE THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS A VERY GREAT DANCER,” Papyrus nodded, his cheeks still flushed a light orange from Mettaton’s sudden dance maneuver. “MY BROTHER AND I HAD GREAT FUN PRACTICING IN THE LIVING ROOM BACK IN SNOWDIN.”

“You didn’t do too bad yourself.” Sans nodded towards her.

“Heh thanks.” She grinned back. “Picked up a couple ballroom classes during university. Glad some of it stuck.”

 _It’s almost time!_ Frisk signed suddenly, then pointed at the tv.

Mettaton gasped. “The Cristal!” Immediately he departed to the kitchen. He returned a moment later, a tray of glasses balanced perfectly in one hand. “Five minutes, darlings!”

Frisk bounced excitedly on their toes and pointed to themself. _Me too?_

“I do not think so, my child,” Toriel said with a soft chuckle. “Not for some years yet.”

They plunked themself on the couch with the glass of sparkling juice that Mettaton passed them. _Unfair._

Maddie sat down next to them, her own glass in her hand. “Sorry kiddo. If it makes you feel better...alcohol really doesn’t taste that good most of the time. And technically it is really bad for you anyway.”

 _Then why do grown-ups drink it?_ They asked with a puzzled frown.

“Societal conditioning?” She shrugged. That was the simplest answer. Hundreds and hundreds of years of social conditioning. “It’s just...something we’ve all grown up seeing, I guess. So we grow up thinking it’s normal and don’t really question it when we start doing it ourselves because it’s kind of just expected that we do it.”

 _So then...if you know that, why are you still drinking it?_ They asked, nodding to the glass in her hand.

“Curiosity,” Maddie admitted. “This stuff has the reputation for being some of the best in the world. I want to see if there really is a difference between the ‘good stuff’ and the stuff that people usually serve at new year.”

_Is it any good?_

“We’ll see in a few seconds,” she replied as the countdown began.

“10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1… HAPPY NEW YEAR!”


	8. Time, Space and Brotherly Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans decides to drop in on magic practice, pirates take over the living room, and Sans finally opens up about his nightmares.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to another chapter of The Final Save! Thank you all for staying with me for so long. This chapter was really fun to write and I hope that you enjoy it too.
> 
> Also for all of you lovely readers I have started a tumblr page! http://finalsavefanfiction.tumblr.com/ On here I will be posting some of my own sketches and the occasional sneak-preview, as well as answering all of your questions and sharing any of the fanart that you send me!
> 
> Finally I want to send out a special thanks to Angel Graco, who has been a dedicated reader and who has been kind enough to beta-read this fic for me. 
> 
> As always all works referenced here are property of their respective creators. Please support them by purchasing the original works. 
> 
> Please note that this chapter includes some pretty heavy stuff, including conversations about depression towards the end.

**Chapter 8: Space, Time and Brotherly Love**

 

Maddie returned to work a couple of days after the party. Despite her posted notice about being on hiatus over the holiday her inbox still contained several order notifications and one commission request. With a smile on her face she prepared the shipping labels for the product orders and arranged a face-to-face with the commission client to hammer down what they wanted. She loved her job, really really loved it. How many people had the chance to make a living doing what they loved? How many people actively reached for it? It had been a learning experience for sure, and a battle when it came to getting what she wanted from suppliers, but she had done it. With help. That had been the hardest lesson, knowing that she could not do it all on her own, even if she had wanted to. Especially when the business finally took off. There was no way she’d have had time to do all the accounting and marketing and all that extra stuff that comes with owning your own business and still have time to create the product she needed to sell to break even. Thank the heavens for friends with skills who were willing to enter profit sharing agreements. 

 

She was just finishing up an email to one of her suppliers when there was a knock on her door. “Come in!”

 

To her surprise it was Sans who opened the door. “Hey. Uh...you busy?”

 

“Not really,” she shrugged, turning around in her desk chair. “Just debating the relative merits of buying my own computerised fabric cutter versus paying my suppliers to do it. What’s up?” He didn’t often interrupt while she was working, except occasionally to call her for food if she’d been down too long without a break.

 

He leaned against the doorframe, hands tucked into the pockets of his favourite blue hoodie. “You goin’ to practice with Alphys this week?”

 

“Yea, probably go in tomorrow afternoon or something. Why?”

 

“You uh...mind if I tag along?” He asked, one bony hand coming up absently to scratch the back of his head. 

 

Maddie blinked. In the weeks that she had been working with Alphys he never showed any interest in coming to watch before. “Ah, sure? If you want. I mean I think it will be mostly Alphys taking readings and asking questions as Undyne throws stuff at me…” 

 

Sans shrugged. “Thought it might be cool to see you in action.” A way of showing that he trusted her, despite the magic. “Wait...she throws things at you?”

 

“Best way to test to see if it works. Gotta’  say between the varying office supplies and the magic spears I’ll take the stapler any day.”

 

“She attacked you with magic?” Was she insane? 

 

“Just once. She thought that I couldn’t get the shield right because I lacked the proper incentive,” Maddie explained with a wry smile. “She wasn’t entirely wrong.”

 

Sans didn’t know what to say to that. Undyne usually want’s that impulsive…. Oh wait, yes she was. 

 

“Anyway, I’ve got a client meeting in the morning so I could meet you on campus around one?” She continued. “BioSci building on the west side of campus, kind of towards the river.”

 

“Sure,” he nodded. “The one next to the weird melty-looking one. Saw that when we helped her set up.”

 

Oh yeah, he would have been there, probably more than she had given she’d only met Alphys in September. “You know the melty one is the psychology building.”

 

Sans blinked at her -- or she was pretty sure he did as the white lights in his eyes flickered out and back. “For real?”

 

“I know, right?” She laughed. “The place looks lake a Salvador Dali painting.”

 

“That’s the guy who did the melting watches, right?” He chuckled. “Weird dude.”

 

“Very weird. But sometimes that’s how things become iconic.”

 

“I guess.” Sans shrugged. “But yeah, tomorrow works fine.” About to leave, he paused. “Oh, almost forgot. Paps says lunch is about ready. But that was a few minutes ago so we shouldn’t  _ Dali _ any longer.”

 

Maddie snorted out a laugh, closing her laptop. “Points for the art pun. Don’t let Papyrus hear it. He might have a  _ stroke _ .” 

  
  
  
  
  


With the new semester begun the campus bustled with activity, making it nearly impossible to find a parking spot. After almost fifteen minutes of fruitless searching Maddie elected to simply park in front of Alphys and Undyne’s house and just walk to the lab. Bundledd up against the chill of the wind, a fuzzy bunny scarf of her own making wrapped around her neck, she trudged through the snow-blanketed campus. Funny, she thought as she passed a group of chattering students. She hadn’t spent so much time on campus since she was a student herself. God, that felt like forever ago. Five years since she had graduated. Look how the world had changed since then.

 

Sans was waiting in the lobby when she reached the Biological Sciences building, a dark blue parka layered over his ever-present hoodie. He glanced towards the door as she entered the building, stomping snow from her boots. “Hey.”

 

“Hey,” she smiled, pulling her hood from her head, her hair erupting into mad static friz. “Sorry I’m late. Parking was a nightmare. You been waiting long?”

 

“Few minutes,” he answered, glancing over her snow-covered self. “It’s really coming down out there.”

 

“At this rate it might just bury my car.”

 

All the more reason he was glad he didn’t have to drive in this weather. It wasn’t that he objected to snow -- he’d lived for years in Snowdin, after all -- but he avoided driving in it whenever possible. Humans were dangerous on the roads even in the best of conditions.

 

“We should probably head up. I let them know I’d be late but I’d late to keep them waiting.”

 

The elevator landed with a groan and a pathetic-sounding rattle, the heavy metal doors shuddering open. Sans shook his head as they stepped inside. “They have got to get someone to fix this thing. This is just sad.”

 

Maddie snorted. “If you think this is bad you should see the one in the mechanical engineering building. Never in my life have I been more afraid for my safety than when I’ve had to take that elevator. I was sure each ride would be my last.”

 

“That really is sad. A real  _ downer _ .” Ten points for the elevator pun.

 

“I know, right? I mean, it’s mech-eng. There are absolutely no excuses for them having such a crappy elevator.”

 

The doors shuddered open again when they reached the fourth floor. Maddie stepped out, checking the hall for errant students. “So I’ve got this game going with Alphys. Well, more of a training exercise really. We’re trying to test the range of my light balls. I’d usually send one off about here, if it’s okay with you.”

 

His hands clenched instinctively in his pockets but he forced them to relax. “Sure, go ahead.”

 

A small orb of gleaming blue light appeared above her raised hand. She sent it off down the hall with a small smile.

 

“Do you always do the hand thing when you do magic?” Sans wondered, watching the light bob down the hallway and disappear through the closed door of Alphys’s lab.

 

“Usually,” Maddie answered. “I can do it without but the gestures help me focus sometimes. Is it the same with yours?” She asked, referring to his own magic.

 

He shrugged, the gesture all but lost in the bulk of his parka. “Yeah, kinda’. I -- ah -- had some difficulties with aim in the beginning… Using my hands helped with the whole line-of-sight thing. Sorted it eventually but you know, old habits.” Maybe they had more in common with their magic than he thought.

 

“Sometimes I still can’t believe this is real,” she confessed as they paused in front of the laboratory door.

 

“What, the magic?”

 

She nodded. “It’s crazy right? Me doing magic. I mean...I’m just me. Nobody special.” Nobody at all, really.

 

“Just you. A human who had the guts and determination to try to do something that no human has been able to do in hundreds of years, who kept trying until they created their own miracle.” Sans shook his head. “No, nothing at all special there.”

 

“I just -- I feel like...I don’t know, like I’ve cheated somehow.” Even if it was quite literally a dream come true. Things like this were meant for other people, greater people.

 

“That’s why you’re workin’ so hard at all this? I thought you loved it. Thought it was your dream.”

 

“Just because you dream of something doesn’t mean you deserve to have it,” she replied softly. “And I do love it. The day I made light it was like….like the world opened up inside me. I just...want to be worthy of it.” She sighed, shaking her head. “And on that note, practice time!” She opened the door to a flash of teal energy and threw up a shield only seconds before she would have been hit. “Shit -- Undyne, spears! What the hell!”

 

“Hey, you said no spears until you could block the stapler,” Undyne grinned from her rolly chair. “But we all know you can block them so it’s all good.”

 

“What if I’d been some random grad student?” Maddie pointed out as she shed her coat.

 

“But you weren’t. And you blocked it, so last week wasn’t a fluke! We repeated the test, confirmed the results. Science!” 

 

“Uh...think there’s a little more to it than that,” Sans commented, shutting the door behind him.

 

“Theory, test, repeat,” Undyne insisted. “Right?”

 

“She does have you there,” came a smooth voice from the other side of the lab. 

 

Maddie blinked. “Uh...Mettaton? That you?” She knew the voice but the form -- a chunky grey box with an antiquated screen on the front -- was not what she had expected. 

 

“Why of course it is,” came the box’s response, red and yellow lights flickering across his screen. 

 

Sans rolled his eyes. “What are you doing here?”

 

“And ah….did something happen?” Maddie ventured. “I mean to your,,,,other body?”

 

“M-Mettaton came in for s-some upgrades,” Alphys told them. “H-his other body is back at the house.”

 

“And you did invite me, after all,” Mettaton added, rolling over on his singular wheel.

 

“Ah, well I’m glad you decided to join us.” Wow was it ever weird to see him like this. Of course Papyrus had shown her some of the old Mettaton specials but it was difficult reconciling this clunky antiquated thing with the sleek, stylish diva that she had met at New Years. 

 

If Sans had lips he would have pouted.  _ Why did you have to invite him? _ He’d had more than enough of the overgrown calculator over the holiday. “I’m surprised you were able to make time in your busy schedule.”

 

“Oh, anything for a fan.”

 

_ Fan? Well...sure, why not. _ Maddie thought, exchanging an amused look with Sans.

 

“So, what’s with the helmet?” He asked, drawing attention away from robo-diva and redirecting it towards the strange piece of -- he assumed -- technology that rested on Alphys’s desk. Given that it was pink and yellow and had a set of what looked like cat ears perched on top, it could have been one of those weird cosplay things.

 

“It’s a s-scanner,” she explained, tossing the empty ramen container that she had been eating from into the trash can. “Measures n-neural activity. I wanted to take some readings but the MRI machine is huge and I’d have to explain what I wanted to do with it so...I built one this w-weekend.”

 

Maddie stared. “You built a compact, portable MRI machine over the weekend?”

 

“Well, t-technically it’s a combination MRI, EEG, MEG, and NIRS machine but…..yes?”

 

Now even Sans was goggling.

 

“It’s just a p-prototype,” Alphys continued, picking up the helmet and turning it over so they could see the inside. “But the -s-sensors here take reading and the ears stream the results wirelessly to the computer.”

 

“The visor, that’s for visual data?” Sans asked, leaning in for a closer look.

 

Alphys nodded. “Eye movement, pupil dilation, respiratory data…”

 

He grinned. “Nice job. I’m impressed.”

 

The scientist coloured under her scales. “T-thanks.”

 

Undyne grabbed her in a tight hug, a grin of pure pride on her face. “My girl is brilliant.”

 

“Totally brilliant,” Maddie agreed. “You’ve got to submit the patent for this. You’d make a killing.”

“Asgore’s still having discussions with the government about that,” Sans sighed, dropping into one of the rolling chairs. “Some bureaucratic bullshit about permits and testing for human use or whatever.”

Maddie rolled her eyes as Alphys passed the helmet over to her. “That’s crap. They’re just being lame because anything Alphys makes would render anything the big companies are putting out right now obsolete.” 

Which, now that she thought about it, was probably why there was such resistance to the approval of Monster magic in medicine. Those companies made millions on pharmaceuticals. If magical versions became available they could very well go bankrupt. Of course the obvious answer was for those very companies to just hire monsters with healing magic or experience in biochemistry or whatever. Even if they had to pay to put them through a university certification the payoff would be huge.

The helmet was lighter than she had anticipated and was surprisingly comfortable. “This thing is awesome,” she informed Alphys as the visor slid into place. “I feel like a cross between MewMew and Megaman. All I need is a blaster and a pair of jet boots.”

“Hell yeah!” Undyne grinned. “That would be awesome!”

Alphys glanced at her computer screen, checking over the system initialization. “That would be a f-fun crossover.” After a moment the computer let out a soft chime. “O-okay, how does that feel?”

“Pretty good,” Maddie answered, her hands moving to touch the rotating ears. “Geez this is cool.”

“Steady readings,” Sans noted with a quick look at the screen.

“S-should we maybe...start small? With the l-light?” Alphys suggested.

The light came to her easily now, the blue-white glow flickering to life in front of her. At Alphy's request she made it grow to the size of a basketball, shrink to the size of a match head. They tested the range again, sending it spiralling around the lab. Remembering her earlier conversation with Sans, Maddie repeated each test with and without using her hands as a focus. Summoning and controlling multiple lights was a bit of a challenge. That one she’d had to close her eyes for, explaining that she needed to shut out the visual distractions in order to focus on the placement of the lights. She could, at need, tell them exactly where the lights were in the room, even if she couldn’t see them. 

“I’ve got one sitting over the coat rack, one in the far corner circling Mettaton…” It had to be Mettaton as his was the only magical signature in the room she wasn’t familiar with. 

“Ah the spotlight...even magical it loves me!” He sighed, posing dramatically under the small glowing orb. 

Sans rolled his eyes.

“And one by Alphys’s computer which Undyne is poking at even though we’ve already have a conversation about testing magical things on herself so cut it out Undyne.”

“Why?” She asked, ceasing her curious prodding. “We already know it doesn’t do anything.”

“Wait...you could tell who was touching it even with your eyes closed?” Sans questioned. 

Maddie nodded. “Yeah. It’s like -- I can kind of sense where all of you are. When she touched it it was like that, but stronger. Not quite as much as if, say, she put her hand on my arm or something but I definitely know it’s Undyne.”

Now his own scientific curiosity, which he’d been trying to restrain all afternoon, came out in full force. Unable to resist he reached out, cautiously brushing the nearest light with one bony finger tip. It was warm -- he hadn’t anticipated that -- like sunlight in early summer. It was kind of...nice, he thought, his initial apprehension fading as he cupped the glowing orb between his hands.

Behind the visor Maddie was beaming. He had been so reticent about her using magic. To have him here, not only actively participating in their experiments, but trusting her enough to actually touch something that her magic had created… She was touched. Wanting to share that, the joy she felt, the gratitude, she opened herself up, tried to project those feelings into the light that he held. 

The lights in his eyes widened visibly as the glow brightened in his hands. For a moment he swore he felt something, a rush of wild joy that was all but visible when he looked at her, almost glowing from the inside. “Hey, when you guys are practicing, you ever take a -- ah -- closer look?” 

Alphys blinked, tearing her gaze away from the readings on the screen. “You mean at -- ah, no not yet.”

“Ah...what are we looking at now?” Maddie asked.

“W-we’ve been working predominantly on the t-technical aspect of your magic,” Alphys explained. “Sans was wondering if we’d done any m-monitoring of your soul.”

Her hands twitched against the seat of her chair. She could admit to more than a little curiosity but she couldn’t help but remember what had happened with Flowey a few weeks before, the tearing pain and helpless terror…   _ Stop that _ , she ordered herself sternly. She trusted her friends. They would never do anything to hurt her. With a steadying breath she glanced towards Sans. “Okay, let’s do it.”

“You sure?” Sans asked, eyeing her measuringly. “If you’re not comfortable with it you just have to say so.”

Maddie shook her head, forcing herself to relax and allowing her lights to flicker out. “No, it’s fine. I want to do this.”

For one long moment he watched her, the lights of his eyes fixed unwaveringly upon her face before he moved to stand in front of her. “Tell me to stop and I will,” he said, raising one hand to hover over her chest.

She looked shyly up at him, a small smile on her lips. “Be gentle with me, sempai…”

A deep cyan blush flashed over his cheeks as Alphys and Undyne choked and sputtered. “What--”

“Kidding!” Maddie laughed. “But God, the looks on your faces!” Alphys was hiding her face in her lab coat. Mettaton’s screen had turned bright pink and was filled with exclamation points. Even Undyne was blushing.

“Oh yeah, you’re a riot.” Sans shook his head, rubbing one hand over his face. 

“Oh come on, you know I’m funny.” She grinned. “Get on with it, funny bones.”

Chuckling in spite of himself, Sans curled his hand in a beckoning gesture, calling the vibrantly blue heart forward.

“Hey, it didn’t hurt!” Maddie exclaimed, the words out before she’d even thought about them.

Her friends stared. 

“Oh darling, what a thought!” Mettaton gasped, bringing his gloved hands to his screen, every inch the scandalized diva -- if scandalized divas took the form of ancient-looking computing systems who looked like they still relied on punch cards. 

“Well the last time my soul was out in the open like this it was pulled out by Flowey….” Maddie muttered, shrinking down in her chair at the memory. “He wasn’t exactly nice about it.”

The others exchanged dark looks -- except for Mettaton, whose lights flickered an ominous crimson. Undyne looked about ready to spear something. Sans clenched his fists, a lick of sky blue fire flickering briefly in his left eye.

“I’m guessing it’s not supposed to be that way.”

“No.” The word ground out in something that was almost a growl. “No, it’s not.”

“Showing your soul to someone is a really personal thing,” Undyne frowned. “We’ve talked about that a bit before. It isn’t something that a monster does lightly. When you fight a monster they show themselves on their own but what he did, just pulling out like that….”

“It’s a violation,” Sans finished darkly. “He wanted you scared, to know just how easily he could hurt you.”

“He succeeded.” Even now it was hard to accept just how easy it had been for him. She’d been completely helpless, and since then had had more than a few nightmares involving maniacally laughing flowers. “I’ve never been so scared in my life. If Toriel hadn’t stepped in…” 

“W-we saw you...in the yard,” Alphys said softly. “Saw him attack you. You l-laughed at him.” Battered, bleeding, barely able to stand and quite literally laughing in the face of death. Astounding.

“You  _ laughed? _ ” Undyne let out a low whistle. “Damn.”

“I...may have gotten a little hysterical,” Maddie admitted. “I was going to be killed by a talking buttercup. I felt like I was losing my mind and once I started laughing I just couldn’t stop. He was going to kill me anyway so….” She shrugged. “Then you guys saved me. I’m not sure I ever did thank you for that…”

"D-don't thank us." Alphys said, shaking her head. Especially her. She had the sneaking suspicion that Flowey would not exist at all but for her experiments. There had been only one flower that she had injected with determination that had remained outside her lab, a control test to see whether environment was a contributing factor to the trait. When that specimen had vanished she had simply assumed that it had died, gone to dust or melted away. But if it hadn't, if it had lived... That changed everything. She'd have created sentience in something that didn't have a soul. That was major! Oh she had so many questions... Though given it was Flowey... It might be best just this once to leave well enough alone.

"Oh the upside," Maddie continued with a small smile. "If he ever tries again I'll at least be able to defend myself." It would be nice to be able to do something other than bleed on the cobblestones. As much to reassure herself as to add to their data she called up a shield, spinning in her chair as she surrounded herself with the comfort of the soft blue glow. "I mean, if I can block Undyne's spears I'm sure I can block his little seed pellet things."

"Hell yeah," Undyne grinned. "You should be able to hold off that punk, no problem."

Alphys nodded absently in agreement, adding her own observational notes to their data. Mettaton, of course, would be recording it -- or at least she thought he was -- but it often helped to add her own thoughts to her notes as they came.

The steady blue glow of Maddie's soul had dimmed somewhat when she spoke of Flowey, telegraphing her fear even as she tried outwardly to play it off. The moment the shield was cast however the dullness vanished and the blue heart shone so brightly that it looked almost pure white through the veil of magic, radiating her absolute joy. With her soul out in the open like this it was impossible to hide how much she loved what they were doing. Exploring her magic was hard, often frustrating work but every time she cast her light or summoned a shield her soul simply sang.

Unable to keep the smile from her face now Maddie stood up, pushing her rolly chair back out of the way. "Guess we're past throwing staplers now."

Undyne snorted, stepping back to give herself room to throw. "Frickin' finally."

"Well forgive me for taking a little while to sort out a spell that nobody's used in a few hundred years," she laughed. 

"Told you, just needed the proper incentive."

"I'd think a spear flying towards your face would be plenty of incentive," Sans chuckled, rolling back out of the line of fire.

"You'd think. But not for this nerd." Undyne shook her head. "Oh no. Doesn't do jack to protect herself, but Papyrus trips and suddenly she's Lina Inverse or some damn thing."

That had the smile freezing on his skeletal face. "Wait, what?"

"Last week during training. This punk wusses out of warm-up so Paps and I start sparring. Everything's fine and dandy then he spazzes like a goof and next thing you know the nerd is on her feet and I might as well be throwing glitter."

He still couldn't believe it. "My bro tripped? Paps doesn't --" And then it clicked. It had been years since Papyrus had tripped during a match. If he had taken a fall while training with Undyne it was because he wanted to. He'd been so worried after that night at the club. Papyrus was about as strong as they came and to be helpless like that when one of his friends was being threatened...It only followed that he'd do everything he could to help her protect herself. 

Seeing that Sans had figured it out, Undyne nodded. "Exactly. The spaz. So that was the end of that match.”

“Then one thing led to another and testing the shield turned into an epic snowball fight,” Maddie finished, smiling at the memory. 

Ah, so that was how that started. Papyrus had said said something about snow being very effective in training maneuvers but he hadn’t really understood what he meant. 

“Anyway, now that’s sorted,” Undyne turned, grinning wickedly.

This time Maddie was ready. The shield was up again before the spear had even formed. “Ha! I’m on to your tricks now.” Though she didn’t expect the stapler that followed the spear, bouncing harmlessly off her shield and clattering harmlessly to the floor. 

“Oh yeah?” A glint of mischief lit in her eye. “Hey boys, want to get in on this?”

“Ooh yes!” Mettaton cooed, whirling dramatically on his single wheel. 

The next thing Maddie knew dozens of tiny glowing Mettatons flew her way, pelting her shield like hail.  _ Figures his attacks would look like himself… _ Their acquaintance might have been brief but even she had figured out that Mettaton was a grade-A narcissist. 

“D-do you think a s-special attack would be effective?” Alphys wondered, glancing up from her notes. 

“Special attack?” Maddie questioned as the others exchanged looks.

“Magic that affects the soul directly, darling,”Mettaton explained, calling off his magical mini-me’s.

“...affects how?”

“Depends on the magic,” Undyne shrugged. “Soul changes colour when under the effects of the attack. Like mine would turn your soul green, pretty much sticking you to the floor. Mettaton, yours is yellow right? The blasters?”

“Oh yes. Does wonders for the ratings, giving the opponent the chance to fight back.”

Okay the blaster-mode could be fun but she’d hate to hurt one of her friends by accident. Instead she turned to Sans. “What does yours do?”

“Gravity magic. Pap too, though he doesn’t use it as much. No colour change for you though. Soul’s already blue.”

“Okay that’s just...cool.” Maddie grinned, dangerously close to the ‘screaming rainbows’ that she’d mentioned the day they met. “Do you think that would still work through the shield? Could we try? I mean...for science.” Not at all because she was a great big nerd. 

The skeleton eyed her oddly. “You sure?”

“Yes I’m sure. I’m sure I’m sure. I want to try this. For science.”

“Dork.”

“I heard that, Undyne.” Though she wasn’t exactly wrong. “So can we do it? Please?” She widened her eyes pleadingly, putting on her best sad-puppy face. 

“How do you even do that? It’s like your eyes take over your face… “ Sans sighed, shaking his head. “A’right, fine. You ready?”

“Hell yes! Let’s get this magic show on the -- woah!”  Maddie let out a startled gasp as she found herself suddenly airborne, hovering four feet off of the ground. “Holy crap I’m floating!”  _ Hell. Yes! This is awesome! _ She had to fight not to squeal out her joy, instead throwing her head back with delighted laughter. Who even cared if her shield was ineffective against this kind of magic? She was  _ floating _ ! Flying.  _ Oh God this is the best day ever.  _ The little blue heart continued to glow cheerfully in front of her, surrounded -- to her eyes -- by an aura of slightly darker blue. 

“Welp...that worked.” Sans chuckled. “Guess I really swept you off your feet.”

“You got that right,” Maddie laughed. “Charmer. This is awesome!” Like sitting on an invisible bean bag chair or floating in the ocean, halfway between the ground and the sky.

“V-vitals are steady,” Alphys noted. Her heart rate was a little elevated but given the circumstances that was to be expected. And they learned something important -- Maddie’s shield was impervious to traditional magical attacks but was vulnerable to the kind of attack that affected the soul directly. Not that she should be encountering that too often but it was a helpful thing to know. 

“How does it feel?” Undyne asked, snickering as Maddie moved through the air.

“Pretty cool. Little weird knowing there’s nothing under me but air and magic but -- what is with you and the stapler?”

Undyne grinned unapologetically as said stapler bounced off the shield and clattered to the floor. “Just checking. Shield still works.”

“You couldn’t have thrown an eraser or something?”

She shrugged, tugging down the sleeve of her black knit sweater. “Stapler was closer.”

Maddie shook her head, banishing the shield as Sans set her back on her feet. “You are so full of crap.”

Undyne just pulled a face and stuck out her tongue. “Spoilsport.”

“Ha! Just wait, one of these days I might start throwing stuff back at you.”

Now that was an interesting thought… “I wonder what your attack would be,” Undyne mused absently. Not that they should try. As former Captain of the Royal Guard she should in no way be suggesting that the human mage start experimenting with attack spells. Definitely not. However...it would be kind of cool. Maybe it would be a sword, like the wooden one she used for the SCA thing. Ooh or maybe an anime-style flash-boom. That would be awesome. If they were going to try it. Which they weren’t because that would be bad. 

Maddie pursed her lips, trying not to look to interested. She wouldn’t deny that the question had crossed her mind but given the whole point of studying her magic with her friends was to make sure she  _ wasn’t _ a threat to the Monsters… Well it was better to not. Or that’s what she kept telling herself when her thoughts started to wander in that direction. So she played it off, shrugging like it didn’t matter. “Probably nothing that useful, and really it’s not like I’m planning on getting in any more fights so what would I need an attack for?”

“Because it’s awesome?” Undyne suggested. “Not saying we should start playing around with it.” Though part of her did want to. “Just considering the possibilities.”

“Let’s leave those possibilities in whatever manga you and Alphys are drawing in your spare time.”

“H-how did you know we were w-working on a manga?”

Maddie blinked. “That was supposed to be a joke. Wait...you actually are?”

“N-no! Well...maybe,” Alphys admitted sheepishly, ducking her head into the collar of her lab coat.

“And you didn’t show me? The hell, guys! I thought we were friends.”

Undyne laughed. “We’ve only got a few splash pages so far. We’ll show you next time.”

“You better.”

Sans shook his head, glancing down as the alarm on his phone chimed, signaling that it was time for him to head to work. Just in time too as it sounded like the conversation was heading into anime territory. He didn’t have any objection to it as a whole but some of it could be just plain weird. “Welp. I’m out. Some of us actually have to work today.”

Maddie snorted. “Right, like you’re not just going to take a nap the moment you get to work.”

The skeleton shrugged, an utterly unapologetic grin on his face. “What can I say, I’m bone tired.”

“Ugh… Please get some new material,” Undyne groaned. “You’ve done that one --”

“--to death?”

“Get outta’ here, punk,” she laughed.

“I’m gettin’.”

“Pizza for dinner tonight?” Maddie suggested as he opened the door.

“I’m in.”

“Cool. See you tonight.”

“See ya.”

When the door closed behind him Maddie turned back to the others. “So you guys heard about the convention coming up?”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Maddie took on a second commission later that week. Arranging to meet them at a nearby coffee shop, she quickly claimed the two lounge chairs in the far corner so they’d be comfortable while they talked. She was early, as was her habit, and used the time to review the client’s request and her plans for the rest of the afternoon. With the resurgence of the Star Wars fandom since the release of The Force Awakens she’d taken on more than a few requests for costumes. According to the client’s email they were looking to have a jacket made like that of Poe Dameron. 

It was a relatively simple design, thank goodness. Maddie wasn’t particularly fond of making coats and after a particularly difficult project a couple of years prior had sworn to avoid any design that required excessive modification. What would really drive up the price would be if the client wanted their jacket in the the leather of the original design. 

Which, it turned out, they did. She had a contact for that at least, someone she’d met through friends in the SCA. With promises to contact them that night to set up time and cost estimates, Maddie and her client parted ways. She made the call from her car, leaving a short message when she got their voicemail. With luck she’d have her answer by the end of the night. 

When Maddie finally got home she could hear the delighted giggles and NYEH-HEH-HEH’s from the hallway and opened the door to find Frisk and Papyrus standing on the couch, what appeared to be _ Pirates of the Caribbean _ playing on the tv behind them. 

“What are you guys doing?” She laughed as she kicked off her boots. 

Frisk signed something quickly, pointing at her as Papyrus laughed.

“AYE CAPTAIN HUMAN! I TOO HAVE SPOTTED THE MERMAID!” He declared.

“...are you guys using the couch as a pirate ship?”

“INDEED! IT IS A VERY FINE SHIP WITH MUCH ROOM FOR TREASURE AND SLEEPING!”

Maddie shook her head. “Oh no… This...this cannot be allowed.” She paused, just long enough to see the crestfallen looks on their faces as she hung her coat in the hall closet. “There will be no playing pirates in the living room...without the proper costumes.”

With a relieved “NYEH-HEH-HEH!’ Papyrus vaulted the back of the couch to land in front of her. “YOU ARE VERY CLEVER, HUMAN! YOU HAVE EVEN FOOLED THE GREAT PAPYRUS WITH YOUR JAPES!”

“Thanks Papyrus!” She grinned back. “Come on guys, let’s see what I have in my costume stash.”

Quite a lot, as it turned out. With several years of cosplay, SCA and halloween costumes stashed away in large tote boxes in her closet there was more than enough to kit them out. An old sleeveless peasant blouse that she’d found at a vintage store in college was plenty long enough to serve as a tunic for Frisk, who belted it by tying a colourful scarf at the waist and used a second scarf as a bandana. A short, plain chemise worked as a long shirt for Papyrus, who topped it with a bandolier from Maddie’s sky pirate costume. Maddie herself layered an underbust bodice in brown leather over the striped top that she was already wearing, topping it with her sky pirate coat and tying her hair back with another scarf.

So garbed they returned to the living room to continue the epic adventures of Captain Kid and his faithful crewmates: Billy Bones and Grace O’Maddie. 

It wasn’t as weird as their friends said it would be when they told them that they’d be going to Miss Taylor’s place to play with her and Sans and Papyrus. Miss Taylor was kinda’ cool for a grown-up but who hung out with their teachers outside of class? Then again how many kids had those teachers as family friends? And their mom was the assistant principal so those lines tended to be wonky for them anyway.

And like they said, Maddie was pretty fun for a grown-up. Even when she was being Miss Taylor she tried to be funny, to make what they were learning fun and interesting. Math still sucked most days but it got a lot more interesting when she was using candy to explain. She wasn’t afraid to be silly, to play pretend with them. And she had a dress-up closet, which was pretty cool. 

Until they fell into the Underground they weren’t entirely sure that grown-ups could be fun. They tried not to think too much about the time ‘before’ There were many children in the world who had it worse off than they did but...well, there was a reason they climbed the mountain. It was more than just the dare -- though they sure showed them, didn’t they? -- more than just proving that they were brave enough to go through with it. Sheer determination had driven them up that mountain to prove that they could do something right, something that no other kid had ever done before. To do what maybe they were meant to do.

Or at least that was how it seemed sometimes now. Grown-ups talked a lot when they came back about fate and destiny and whatever, that they were meant to climb that mountain, meant to fall. Frish wasn’t sure about that but every time they considered stopping, just turning back and going home, something urged them onwards. A deep down-in-the-gut feeling that told them to keep going.

So they did. And their whole life changed. No more foster homes, no more ’caretakers’ who cared more about the money from the government people than about the kids who were stuck with them. No more stories from kids with too-old eyes even when they weren’t much older than Frisk was. No more wondering if that would soon be them. They had a family now, a real one. A mother who loved them and made pies, silly aunts and uncles who told terrible puns and cooked like crazy people and suplexed tables and built super awesome robots for their birthday. And friends, friends who understood them, and not just when they signed -- though that in itself was awesome -- but who they really were. They did see the poor foster kid who didn’t talk. They just saw Frisk. 

That was the real magic and it made everything that happened to them underground -- the fear, the fighting, the endless resets -- worth it. They were determined, now more than ever, to do things right. Life had consequences, Sans taught them that, and it wasn’t fair just turning back the clock to avoid them. So no more resets, no more endless retries to get the ‘best’ outcome. Not that they could do that on the surface anyway but they had made a promise, to Sans and to themself, and they intended to keep it. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


It was almost two in the morning when a familiar burst of magic shocked Maddie awake. She jolted upright,  tired eyes alert for any movement in the dark. All around her was absolute stillness but she could feel with crystal clarity the blue magic in the air. 

_ Sans… _

Maddie leaped out of bed, grabbing her robe from the hook on the back of the door as she stepped into the hall. The door to his room was closed -- mostly, she thought, to spare Papyrus the distress of continual exposure to the tornado of dirty socks -- but she could hear movement beyond. 

Gently Maddie rapped her knuckles against the door. “Sans? You okay?”

There was no answer but a second surge of magic had her bidding farewell to etiquette and turning the knob. To her senses the air was choked with blue, thickening like a dense fog around the bed. Sans lay tangled in the blankets, the sheets clutched between bony fingers as he tossed restlessly. 

A nightmare then. The last time his magic had woken her like this he’d woken himself as well as she’d found him in the living room a few moments later. Tonight it looked like she would be doing the waking. Maddie pulled her robe closer around her and made her way across the room. 

Tentatively she leaned over to place her hand over his arm. “Sans?”

His eye snapped open, flaming brilliantly blue. The next thing she knew she was lifted off her feet and slammed into the far wall. An instant later the magic released her and she dropped to the floor, gasping for breath. She barely registered Sans’ muffled curse or the click of bare bones against the floor that brought him to her side.

“Shit! Maddie -- I’m sorry, I didn’t -- come on kid, say something..” His hands found her shoulders, one moving up to cup the back of her head with gentle fingers. 

“Ow…” She groaned, glancing up at him through the tangled curtain of her hair. “That wall is hard.”

Okay she was responding. Responding was good. And lucid, which was a relief. He didn’t want to break the human. Nor this human anyway. “Sorry. I didn’t know you were -- I thought you were...someone else.”

“You must really hate that someone else if your first instinct is to put them through the wall,” Maddie commented with a strained chuckle.

“‘Hate’ is too mild a word…” He replied under his breath. “How’s your head? Got a bit of a bump there.”

“Sore but not that bad.”

Sans held up two skeletal digits. “How many fingers?”

“Forty-two,” she answered, mouth quirked in a small smile. That was the answer to life, the universe, and everything -- at least according to  _ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy _ . Sans looked more worried than amused. “Two fingers. No wavering, no blurring, no wonky colours.”

Vision stable. Okay. She didn’t have a concussion then, thank the stars. Ever since the stapler incident when she’d explained what it was the thought had terrified him. Sans sighed with relief. “Good.”

“Serves me right for scaring you.” Maddie sat back against the wall with a soft groan and brushed her hair from her face. “Sorry about that.”

Sans gave her a weird look. “I almost put you through the wall and you’re apologizing to me?” He shook his head. “What’re you doing up this late anyway? Shouldn’t you be asleep with all the other sane people?”

“You kidding?” She snorted. “Leaving the question of my sanity aside, I don’t know how anyone could have slept through that. You were putting out enough magic to power all of Ebott. Whatever you were dreaming about had to be pretty intense if you’re putting out that much magic.”

A cyan blush rose in his cheekbones, so bright that its glow was visible even in the dark of the room. “Ah...yeah. Nightmare. Happens sometimes.”

“By my count at least three times since you guys moved in,” Maddie commented.

Three times? Didn’t he wish. That would have been a blessing. He’d barely gotten a full night’s sleep since they left the Underground and what he did get was spotty at best. This was one reason why he took so many naps-- he didn’t often stay down long enough for the nightmares to start.

“So...what happened?”

“Nothing,” he replied softly, the lights in his sockets blinking out briefly. Nothing he wanted to talk about anyway. If he talked about it it would remind him that it was real and that was not something that he wanted to deal with right now.

“Does Papyrus know?” She wondered. The brothers were as close as anyone could get. Surely if Sans had told someone about what had happened to him it would be Papyrus. 

“No.” And no way in hell would he ever tell him either. The less he knew about the whole mess the better.

“Have you told anyone at all?”

Sans shook his head. Of course he hadn’t told anyone. Who would believe him if he did?

“Have you thought...maybe...about going to talk to a therapist?”

He blinked, stared. “What?”

“What you’ve been through…. It sounds like it was really traumatic for you.” Not that he’d talk about it but if it kept him up all night like this... “The night terrors and stuff could be a symptom of PTSD -- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It might help you to talk to someone about it. A professional.”

“You have professionals for that?”

Maddie laughed. “Yeah, and they have to go through like ten years of post-secondary schooling for it and everything.”

Sans chuckled, shaking his head. “You humans have doctors for the weirdest things.”

“That kind of specialization isn’t exactly a bad thing,” she pointed out. “And seeing a psychologist or a councillor of some sort...it couldn’t hurt. It helped me.”

“I dunno, it--wait, why did you go?”

Maddie ducked her head, biting her lip uncertainly. It wasn’t something she talked about. Even her family didn’t know. But maybe this would help him take the step he needed to open up.

“I went through….let’s call it a rough patch, a little after I moved out for the first time. I ended up losing my job not long after and I just felt so...useless. Stupid. I’m not going to lie, my self-esteem’s always been a bit shaky but at that point….I wondered if would have been better if I wasn’t around. Like if there was an “erase” button for my life at that point I would be sorely tempted to press it. I stopped eating as much. Ate smaller portions, maybe skipped a meal or two, especially when I was feeling down.” Just as she had seen him do. “I played it off. What was one meal or two? I still ate. It wasn't like I had an eating disorder -- or that's what I told myself. I was so...ashamed, embarrassed that I felt that way. I didn’t want anyone to know. Maybe I smiled too brightly or laughed too hard... I started to pull back from my friends. I just felt like I was always in the way. That they would be better off without me. And I started considering… well things that I didn’t want to be considering. And for a while what stopped me was knowing that it would hurt the people who loved me if I ever actually did it. But there were times when I would think about it more often, and one day I realized if I kept heading down the path that I was on that it might lead to doing something that I would not be able to take back. So I got help.”

It was easier than she’d thought it would be, talking about it. Maybe it was because she knew that he would understand, that he wouldn't see her as weak, as she had for so long. “I saw a councillor every couple weeks for about two years. Fixed my diet. And my friends…” Maddie shook her head, unable to keep the rueful smile from her lips. “I fought so hard to keep them from knowing but they figured it out before I did. Or before I was ready to admit it anyway. I guess what I’m trying to say is...we love you and we’re worried about you. And talking to someone… it might help. I’m not going to say it will be easy, and it won’t be right away…” Even she still had bad days occasionally. “But it can’t hurt. And if you would rather avoid professional counselling… I’m here if you ever want to talk.”

For a moment Sans was silent, long enough for Maddie to start drifting off again. It was definitely time to go back to bed. But right when she started to push herself to her feet he grabbed her hand, pulling her back down to sit beside him. He wouldn’t look at her, the pinpricks of light in his eyes directed determinedly towards the floor at his feet. He seemed to be fighting with himself over something and twice he opened his mouth to speak then closed it again. At last he sighed.

“What do you know about time?”

She blinked. “Like quantum physics or wibbley-wobbley-timey-wimey?”

Sans snorted with laughter in spite of himself. “Surprisingly a bit of both.”

“I’m more familiar with the timey-wimey because frankly I just watch way too much Doctor Who,” she admitted. “But I think I understand some of the very basics. Very, very basics. Like the idea that even if you push your fingers together as hard as you can, they won’t actually touch because of the atoms between them. That’s about as far as I got.”

“It’s a start.” And more relevant than she knew. 

“Wait...are you telling me that you can time-travel?” It would follow. That shortcut-teleport trick... he often arrived faster than he should have been able to, even assuming instantaneous reappearance.

“Ah...no. Sort of.” He admitted. “It’s complicated. The thing with the atoms...it’s not that far off. My shortcuts are more...collapsing the distance between two spaces and...tearing a hole in the space between.”

“Okay, that’s…..completely awesome.”

No freaking out so far. That was a good sign and it gave him the encouragement he needed to keep talking. “So my magic...I can control where I end up but to a point...I also have some leeway as to when. Usually not more than a few seconds…” But sometimes that was enough. “But there was a human that fell into the Undergound… a kid… and what they could do with time made my little jumps look like a parlour trick. They could just...skip back whenever they needed to, live certain events over again.” He sighed. “With the entire underground against them let’s say they had to do it more than once.”

“Like a save point in a video game?”

“Something like that, yeah.” Which would explain the kid’s aversion to the things. “And it didn’t always go...well...for us either. Picture it: you’re a kid, alone and afraid in the dark, surrounded by monsters, and every single creature that knows what you are is after your soul. It’s not unreasonable to fight back. But when they did...people died. So they’d go back, try again. See if they could make it...better.”

“And you’re the only one who remembers the timelines?” Maddie frowned. “Not Toriel or Asgore or even Papyrus? Why just you?”

“Don’t know,” he shrugged. “Just...how I’m made I guess.” And if he ever saw Gaster again he’d punch him in his stupid face for it. “I have seen every possible variation of those days. A hundred times, a thousand. And some of the timelines, they weren’t that bad. Papyrus was king for a while. That was fun. Other times...It was a massacre. Everyone gone, their dust scattered to the wind. Undyne dead because she tried to give everyone else time to escape. Alphys threw herself from the waterfall. And Papyrus…” Here his voice broke. Here he had to force himself to keep going or he’d never be able to speak of it. “He could have fought, and maybe it would have saved him… but he never did. Just kept saying he believed in them, this smiling kid with a striped sweater and a dust-covered knife. Until they killed him too. I’ve killed that kid a hundred times for what they did. They just kept coming back smiling, over and over again until I was the one blown away on the wind.”

“Hold up -- hold up. Frisk? Frisk did all of this?” That sweet little darling of a kid? It didn’t make sense. “How---what? I don’t even… And how are you friends now?”

“It took a while,” Sans admitted. “And sometimes… It still isn’t easy. They told me once it wasn’t them, the genocide runs. That it was like something had crawled inside of them, wore them like a suit and moved them like a puppet until they reset the world and everything in it.”

That was…. insane. Absolutely freaking insane. “So then...how did we get to this point? Wait, have we done all this before? Did we meet before---?”

The skeleton shook his head. “No, this time….this is all a first. Frisk fought back, reset again. This time they’d do it right, they said. No more deaths. They’d make friends with everyone. Chara -- they called it Chara -- didn’t like that much. It took….more than a few more resets before they broke the barrier.” He’d watched his friends, his brother, die a hundred times in a hundred different ways. But when the barrier finally came down… that first day he’d seen the sun was one of the best moments of his life. Sure he’d almost died and been consumed by a megalomaniacal flower not an hour before but when compared to finally, finally seeing the sun… It felt like starting over. “They said it was the last reset, that they couldn’t do it anymore. I don’t know if I really believe them but… I’m trying.”

God, this explained….everything. He wasn’t lazy, he was defeated and afraid. And Papyrus… was he so fastidious about the apartment being clean because he had seen his brother’s unconscious reaction to the dust? “Hard to put the effort in when you’re not sure things won’t just reset the next morning, cuz if it does what was the point?”

“And when it does reset… It’s too easy to treat it like an easy do-over, to learn from the other timelines what you need to say and do to get the responses you want. To treat it like a game. I didn’t want to do that to them.”

The hug came as a bit of a surprise. He wasn’t sure quite what he had expected when he started this whole thing but this certainly wasn’t it. Maddie had just...flung herself at him, he supposed would be the best way to describe it. Just wrapped her arms around him and held him close. “What--what are you doing?” He asked, his voice muffled by her hair.

“I’m hugging you, obviously,” she responded with a suspiciously choked chuckle.

“...why?”

“Because you need one.” And maybe she needed it too. “God, Sans...I’m sorry. I know it doesn’t matter, me saying it, and I can’t think of anything else to say but...I’m sorry. Nobody should have to go through that, especially when they are they only one who remembers.”

“It’s…” He wanted to say ‘fine’. But it wasn’t. Nothing like what he had been through could ever be ‘fine’. But this, this was...okay. The knot of strain in his chest that he’d carried ever since the first reset loosened just a little. Hesitantly, he pulled his hands from his pockets and returned the hug. “Thanks.” 

  
  
  
  


The next morning was...okay, a little brutal. After the events of last night Maddie felt she deserved a rare mid-week sleep-in. It was a little after nine when she finally dragged herself out of bed, her back a solid ache. Well, that did tend to happen when one was magically flung against a wall. 

And aches and pains aside, she was actually feeling pretty darn good. That Sans was finally that comfortable around her that he would open up about anything at all was wonderful. That he trusted her enough to share what he had… Well she was touched. 

So with a spring in her step she tossed on a tee-shirt and jeans and headed out into the kitchen.

Papyrus was already at the stove, humming cheerfully. “GOOD MORNING, HUMAN! YOU HAVE SLEPT LATE TODAY! I HOPE YOU ARE NOT FEELING ILL.”

“Nah, just needed a bit of a sleep-in today,” she answered. It wasn’t technically a lie. “What are you making?”

“THE GREAT PAPYRUS FELT THE NEED TO MAKE SOME OF HIS FAMOUS PANCAKES!”

“Well if they are anywhere as good as your spaghetti I’m sure they’re fabulous.” Especially since he had stopped cooking with glitter. 

“THEY ARE,” he agreed cheerfully. “SANS IS PARTICULARLY FOND OF MY PANCAKES, EVEN IF HE DOES PRACTICALLY DROWN THEM IN KETCHUP.” He tested the edge of a pancake, then flipped it over and continued in an uncharacteristically soft voice. “My brother has not slept well in quite some time. I had hoped...that once he became accustomed to living on the surface that this would change.”

So he had nightmares before Frisk fell into the underground? That was interesting.

“I too woke sometimes having dreamed we were back in the Undergound. It took time to really believe that this was home now. But his nightmares seem to have gotten worse,” Papyrus continued, frowning slightly as he flipped another pancake. “Sometimes he wakes screaming. Others...the whole house would shake. I have asked him many times...but he will not talk to me. He will smile, make a joke. Pretend that nothing is wrong.”

“Papyrus--”

“He talked to you.” Papyrus sighed, giving the remaining pancake batter an absent stir. “I am glad… that my brother has chosen to -- to finally speak about what it troubling him but…” But why wouldn’t Sans talk to him? 

Maddie stepped in, laying one hand on his bony arm. “Papyrus, your brother loves you. He loves you so much. There is nobody on this Earth he loves or trusts more than you. He wants so badly for you to be happy after -- I think he thought that knowing what he dreamed of would hurt you. That made it easier to tell to someone like me, someone on the outside. He’d have never done it to hurt you.  I’m not sure he realized that by not sharing it with you, he hurt you anyway.”

Papyrus gave a silent nod. 

“He’s lucky, you know. To have a brother like you who cares so much about him.” Her own sister couldn’t keep a secret if she was paid to, and had a tendency to report anything Maddie said directly to their mother. Once there had been a time that Maddie would have walked over hot coals for her sister. It had been a painful lesson to learn that Alexis would never do the same. 

“Our...father,” Papyrus said after a moment. “Was not always kind.” He had been cold, distant, clinical in his approach to ‘parenting’. Like they were experiments instead of children. And maybe they had been. “Nobody remembers much about him but… Sans was always there.” Had always stood by him, encouraged him, even when their father thought him a stupid, soft, useless failure. “I want to stand by him as well.”

_ Oh you precious baby…  _ Impulsively Maddie threw her arms around his chest and hugged him tightly. “You do. Everything you do -- he is so proud of you. When you’re happy… It matters to him so much. And he knows that you will always be beside him, supporting him, no matter what, and when someone is feeling down that can make all the difference in the world.”

He hesitated for a moment then hugged her back, thinking that sometimes it was very nice to be on the receiving end of the hugs instead of always giving them. Especially when they meant their hugs. This human always meant hers. 

“OH DEAR! THE PANCAKES!” He turned, flipping the ones in the pan onto the plate he’d set out just in time as Maddie ducked out of the way. Well, they were a little darker on the one side than he would like but they would still be delicious. “HUMAN, DO WE HAVE ANY BERRIES LEFT? I WOULD LIKE TO SERVE THEM ON TOP OF MY FAMOUS PANCAKES.”

And back to full volume. “Ah, yeah we should have about half a bag left in the freezer!”

“WONDERFUL!” He poured the batter for two more pancakes then set the batter bowl to fling open the freezer. 

Fifteen minutes later they were seated at the kitchen table, enjoying what Maddie had to admit were some of the best pancakes she’d ever had. 

“The Great Papyrus has done it again,” she grinned, taking another raspberry-loaded bite. “These are fantastic. I hereby name you the official House Pancake Master.”

“THANK YOU, HUMAN! THEY REALLY ARE QUITE GOOD, AREN’T THEY. ALMOST AS GOOD AS MY SPAGHETTI!” He snagged another pancake for his plate, drizzled it with maple syrup. “And...thank you... for talking to my brother. And to me. I am glad that we are friends.”

“I’m glad too, Pap. And if you ever need me… I’ll always be right here.”

  
  
  
  
  


  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There goes another chapter! I hope you have enjoyed it. I had a lot of fun writing the pirate section. The names I chose for them are based off of various historical and literary figures. Captain Kidd was a 17th century pirate, Billy Bones is a character in Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, and Grace O'Malley was an Irish pirate queen.
> 
> We're 200 pages in now and should be really getting into the plot soon so stay tuned!


	9. Chapter 9: In which Maddie Takes a Walk on the Astral Side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maggie learns something new, picks up some colour, and gets to play outside the lab.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> I'm sorry for the delay in chapters. Life has been a little insane the last few months and the end of this chapter has been really fighting me. Upside, as I continue this we are finally getting into the actual plot! So stay tuned everyone cuz this is going to be fun :D

“HUMAN, I HAVE BEEN THINKING,” Papyrus started over breakfast. 

 

“What have you been thinking about?” She asked, spooning more raspberries onto her French toast.

 

“I HAVE HEARD OFTEN THAT ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO IMPROVE ONE’S SKILLS IS TO TEACH THEM TO OTHERS AND I WOULD LIKE IT VERY MUCH IF YOU WOULD CONSENT TO TRAIN WITH ME.”

 

Maddie blinked. “Train like fighting? Like with you and Undyne?”

 

Papyrus shook his head. “UNDYNE WILL NOT BE A PART OF THIS EXERCISE. I WOULD LIKE TO TEACH YOU MYSELF.”

 

Well when he put it that way… how could she refuse? Maddie loved Undyne to pieces and considered her one of her closest friends but she really did not think she could handle training with her. Her good opinion meant a lot and Maddie was desperately afraid of embarrassing herself in front of her. With Papyrus there was no such worry. Not that Papyrus’s opinion didn’t mean as much, just that he was always so overwhelmingly positive that she never worried that he would think poorly of her if she made a foolish mistake.

 

So she smiled at him, taking a sip of her orange juice. “In that case, I’d be honoured to be trained by The Great Papyrus.”

 

He smiled brightly back at her. “OF COURSE YOU ARE! YOU WILL BE MY FIRST STUDENT SO OF COURSE IT IS A GREAT HONOUR. HAVE NO FEAR, HUMAN. FOR YOU WILL RECEIVE THE BEST TRAINING AS BEFITTING A ROYAL GUARD.” 

 

Completely ignoring that there technically was no Royal Guard anymore but it would be fun, she thought, to learn from him. “I’m looking forward to it.” 

 

They arranged to have their first lesson that afternoon, just after lunch. That gave Maddie time to work on some of her commissions and Papyrus to get through a couple more levels of the game he was working on. When the breakfast dishes were put away Maddie retreated to her room to work, leaving Papyrus in the kitchen. He smiled at her as she left, more than a little pleased with himself. He had been briefly worried that she would refuse but of course she was excited to train with The Great Papyrus. His ingenious plan was working perfectly. The human would learn to defend herself and be safe should she ever be faced with another ruffian that meant her harm. 

 

With a satisfied ‘nyeh-heh-heh’ Papyrus made his way to the living room and started to play. 

 

 

 

“NOW HUMAN BEFORE WE COMMENCE WITH THE LESSONS I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO HIT ME.”

 

“What?” She laughed, shaking her head. “Papyrus I’m not going to hit you.”

 

“OF COURSE IT WILL NOT BE IN EARNEST,” Papyrus reassured her. “UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES I WOULD NEVER ALLOW MYSELF TO BE STRUCK BUT I WISH TO EVALUATE WHERE WE SHOULD BEGIN.”

 

That made sense. Still Maddie couldn’t help but frown slightly. Undyne had explained the whole ‘hp’ deal to her a few weeks before and knowing definitively that there was only a certain number of hits that a monster could take before they turned to dust had really freaked her out. “Are you sure? I might hurt you by accident…”

 

“NONSENSE! NO HARM SHALL COME TO THE GREAT PAPYRUS DURING THIS EXERCISE.” He insisted. “NOW, STRIKE ME HERE AS HARD AS YOU CAN.” He held up one gloved hand.

 

She had a basic idea of how to throw a punch. She had done kickboxing for fitness reasons the year before but she’d never actually hit a person before. With a steadying breath she took her stance, raising both hands to guard her face, then punched her fist into Papyrus’s gloved hand. 

 

“WELL DONE HUMAN! THAT WAS A VERY STRONG ATTACK.”

 

Maddie made a face. She’d pulled it at the last minute as a trickle of insecurity worked past her defenses. “Can I try again?” She didn’t want to hurt him but she didn’t want to embarrass herself either. 

 

“OF COURSE!” He gave a nod, holding out his hand again. 

 

This time she didn’t hold back, her fist hitting home with a satisfying ‘fwump’. She pulled back almost instantly, shaking out her fingers. Bony hands had a lot less give than punching bags, especially when you were hitting bare-handed. 

 

“VERY GOOD!” Papyrus cheered. “THAT ONE WAS MUCH BETTER. THE GREAT PAPYRUS HAS MADE A WISE CHOICE IN HIS FIRST PUPIL!” Her form was pretty good as well. And the human knew not to tuck her thumbs in when she punched, which was also good. He had not on his first attempt and had sadly broken his thumb in the attempt. At least Undyne had been sympathetic. Well...sort of. Ish. On the inside. 

 

He had her try to block a punch next which went...okay. She intercepted the incoming attack with her forearm as he showed her and let out a surprised curse as the contact sang up her arm. The cinnamon roll had a fist like a rock and being Papyrus he hadn’t even gone at it full-out.

 

I’d hate to be on the other end of his fist when he actually means it...

 

“OH! I AM SORRY, HUMAN! I HAVE STRUCK YOU TOO HARD.”

 

Maddie shook her head, waving it off. “It’s okay Papyrus. I’m fine, really. You just surprised me. You’re really strong. I mean, I knew you were really strong but there’s a difference between knowing that and actually feeling it for myself.” She chuckled, giving her forearm an absent rub with her free hand

 

“YES THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS VERY STRONG,” he agreed with a proud nod. “AND HUMANS ARE VERY SOFT.” He forgot that sometimes. He’d never really fought a human before. Well there was Frisk but all they did was flirt and the whole thing ended with them going on a date so did that really even count? 

 

“We are,” she agreed with a nod. But resilient too, which was a weird sort of contradiction. Sure humans could be hurt very easily but they could also withstand a great deal of physical trauma and still keep going. Broken bones could heal in a matter of weeks and people had been known to cut off their own limbs if it could save their lives. On the other hand they could also eat the wrong plant or get bitten by the wrong bug and die within minutes so go figure. 

 

They tried the block again...and again...and again until her arms ached and she was tired enough that she almost missed the fist coming for her face. Maddie jerked her arm up but the angle was all wrong, causing the impact of Papyrus’s fist to drive her own fist straight into her nose. She staggered back, catching her heel on the ottoman and tumbling to the floor in a heap.

 

“HUMAN, ARE YOU ALRIGHT?”

 

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she answered, shaking her head. Annoyed with herself and more than a little embarrassed but fine. Spazzy Maddie strikes again…

 

“BUT YOU ARE LEAKING!”

 

“What?” Maddie brought one hand up to her nose and when she held up her fingers to look she found them slick with blood. “Ah crap. Figures. Hey Papyrus, would you mind grabbing me that box of tissues over there?” She flailed her hand, gesturing towards the box on the coffee table as the pinched her nose with her other hand.

 

He passed it over quickly, his face tight with worry as she pressed a wad of tissues to her face. This was not the first time he had seen her trip and fall and of course he had seen the bruises that often resulted but never before had he seen a human bleed -- not outside of television shows and he did not often watch ones where so many people were injured. “ARE YOU SURE YOU ARE ALRIGHT? IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE I CAN DO TO HELP?” He asked. “SHOULD I CALL THE HUMAN REPAIR TRUCK?”

 

The...what? She blinked at him in confusion then let out a short laugh when she figured out what he meant. “No you don’t have to call an ambulance. The bleeding will stop in a few minutes.”

 

Papyrus did not look convinced. “YOU ARE CERTAIN THAT YOU DO NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION? YOU ARE THE GREAT STUDENT OF THE GREAT PAPYRUS AND I SHOULD HATE FOR ONE OF MY FAVOURITE HUMANS TO BE BROKEN.”

 

“I promise I’m not broken,” she reassured him. “I just hit myself in the wrong place.” Like the spaztic putz that she was. “This might be a good time to take a break though. What time is it?”

 

He glanced at the clock on the cable box and gasped when he saw how late it was. “NYEH! IT IS ALMOST SUPPERTIME! HAVE NO FEAR HUMAN, THE GREAT PAPYRUS’S FAMOUS SPAGHETTI WILL CURE YOU!”He would make an extra serving for Sans as well to provide him with the extra energy he would need for the night’s show. His brother worked very hard -- well...mostly -- and he seemed to actually be happy here, much happier than he’d been at their old apartment so Papyrus wanted to support him however he could. 

 

When Sans returned home from work he found them in the kitchen, Papyrus bustling about the stove in his frilly apron with Maddie perched on one of the bar stools at the counter, a twist of tissue protruding from her nose. His first instinct was one of panic -- had she been attacked? -- and he was across the room before they even said ‘hello’. “What happened? You okay?”

 

“I’m fine,” she answered. “Had an unfortunate run-in with a fist. Even more unfortunately it was mine.”

 

“You punched yourself?”

 

“Not on purpose,” Maddie laughed, cautiously pulling the tissue from her nose. The bleeding had stopped now but she kept the tissue box beside her just in case.

 

“I’d hope not.” Sans shook his head. “Mind sharing the punchline to this joke?”

 

Papyrus let out a ‘NYEH’ of dismay, giving the spaghetti sauce an irritated stir. “SANS! THE HUMAN IS INJURED. THERE IS NO NEED TO CAUSE FURTHER HARM WITH YOUR ABOMINABLE PUNS.” 

 

“Papyrus is teaching me how to fight,” she explained. “As a way to reinforce his own training. I got tired and was too slow on a block.” And punched herself in the face like a doof. 

 

Reinforce his training? Sans didn’t buy it for a minute. His brother had been worrying about Maddie for weeks, ever since she told them about the incident on Halloween. It seems that he’d finally decided to do something about it. 

 

“YOU WERE DOING VERY WELL UNTIL THEN,” Papyrus reassured her. “YOU HAVE GREAT POTENTIAL, AS EXPECTED OF THE STUDENT OF THE GREAT PAPYRUS.”

 

“Thanks Papyrus,” Maddie smiled. “I’ll make you proud, I promise.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maddie discovered astral projection entirely by accident. She had of late taken to doing some meditation exercises that she had learned in college to decompress before bed. ‘Grounding’ they had called it, a way to anchor yourself, something she sorely needed sometimes with the wonderful insanity that was her life. Dressed in a baggy blue nightshirt she sprawled out on her bed -- sitting up had never worked for her as she could never stop fidgeting -- and closed her eyes, imagining brilliant red light anchoring her to the earth and pure white connecting her to the sky. 

 

Quieting her thoughts took practice. Her mind was full of her projects for the next day, new projects she wanted to try, her lessons with Papyrus -- it was a challenge some days to put everything aside and slip back into the warm, quiet light. When she got it right -- what she felt was ‘right’ anyway -- it was like being weightless, floating in between in a place of complete tranquility and security. There she could allow herself to drift if she chose, or to travel to whatever place her mind imagined and experience it in such detail that she could almost swear that she was really there. 

 

Tonight as she retreated into herself her thoughts drifted towards Sans. He had given Papyrus such a weird look today when they explained that he was training her and not long ago she felt him vanish from the apartment. It wasn’t late enough for it to be the nightmares again so what could it have been to make him go out on his own at this time of night? 

 

He was still nearby, she knew that. She thought he might be on the roof. The night was cool, the sky crystal clear. He’d be wearing his winter parka, the dark blue almost invisible in the night. For a moment she swore she could see him, his pink fluffy slippers making indents in the snow as he bent over his telescope. 

 

“What are you doing up so late?”

 

She started, glancing around. Her imaginings had never talked back before.

 

“I’m fine you know,” Sans continued, keeping his face pressed to the eyepiece. “Just...needed some air. Wanted to see the stars.”

 

Had she fallen asleep? Was she dreaming? That made the most sense…

 

“Do you want to take a look?” He asked, straightening from his position over the telescope. “There’s a pretty good view from -- holy shit! You--what?”

 

Maddie blinked. “What?”

 

“You---the fuck--- you’re---you’re transparent!”

 

“I am?” She looked down and was startled to find that he was right. She could still see her body but it looked more like a CGI ghost from a late-night tv show. Then she realized something else. “Wait… Is this real? I’m not dreaming?” Oh God what had she done? She stumbled back, her mind screaming with panic…

 

… and bolted upright in her bed. Her heart raced as if she had run a marathon. Maddie glanced around, patting herself down with trembling hands. She was all there. Nothing see-through. “A dream,” she breathed, falling back on the mattress in relief. “Just a dream… Jesus fuck…..” 

 

Her heartrate was just starting to level when a tear opened up in the space just in front of her door. For a second she glimpsed the swirling shadows beyond before Sans stepped through looking panicked. “What the fuck was that? Are you okay?”

 

“Shit, that was real?” She jerked upright again. He looked...terrified. She hadn’t seen him this freaked out since he’d first seen her do magic. “I’m fine. I’m not hurt.”

 

Sans sagged back against the doorframe and rubbed one bony hand over his skull. “I thought...for a second I thought…” 

 

You were dead…

 

The words hung unspoken between them but she didn’t need the words to understand.

 

“Sans…” Maddie pushed herself to her feet, crossing the room to hug him tightly. “I’m sorry. I’m okay, I promise. I wasn’t -- I didn’t know that was going to happen.”

 

He allowed himself to return the hug, if only for a moment, to reassure himself that she was still there. He couldn’t lose anyone else, couldn’t bear the thought of losing another friend, not here where there could be no going back. 

 

She didn’t let go until he did, stepping back as he put his hands in his pockets, allowing him a moment to collect himself. She wondered if he knew he had been trembling.

 

“Scared the hell out of me kid.” He said at last, shaking his head.

 

“Scared the hell out of me too,” she confessed with a small smile. “I thought that I was dreaming and then you started talking to me and you freaked out then I freaked out---”

 

“What were you even trying to do?”

 

“It wasn’t a magic thing,” Maddie reassured him. “Or..not really. I was grounding. It’s kind of a meditation exercise. I do it sometimes to settle, you know? Really did not anticipate that turning into astral projection.”

 

Sans blinked at her, the lights in his eyes flickering out then back again. “Is that what that was?” He’d heard of it certainly, the idea that a living soul could project itself to other locations for a time, independent of the body that housed it. 

 

“I think so?” She shrugged. “I mean I’ve heard of it -- you hear stories of all kinds of weird stuff if you’re into that kind of thing -- but I never even thought to try it. It just...happened.” It was insane. Astral travel, of all things! She’d never even considered it. “And you could see me.” She didn’t think that was supposed to happen, not unless the other person’s consciousness was on the same...plane, as it were. 

 

He nodded. “Felt you first. Your magic. Didn’t know why you wouldn’t answer me so I turned around and you were… Well you but blue, with enough of a glow I could see you in the dark.” Transparent as a ghost. “And you didn’t feel anything?”

 

“Aside from incredibly freaked out? Not a thing. Like I said I thought I was dreaming.” A small frown tugged at her lips as she thought back. “I could feel the air, the ground, but not the cold. When I realized that it was all real I guess my focus broke and I came back.”

 

“And you swear you’re not hurt.”

 

“Totally fine,” Maddie reassured him. A sudden idea had her smiling mischievously. “And I think I know just how I want to tell Alphys and Undyne.”

 

 

 

The next morning Maddie drove to the university for another practice session but instead of sending a light ball to notify them of their arrival, she decided to try something a little different. When the elevator reached the right floor she stepped aside, leaning against the wall beside the elevator door, and closed her eyes. It took only a couple of minutes to center herself and draw back into that place of grounding. Then she pictured Alphys’s lab, visualizing the cool walls, the piles of nifty doo-dads and gadgets in their varying stages of work-in-progress, her friends waiting for her inside.

 

“Hey guys! Look what I -- GAH!” 

 

She returned to her body red-faced and mortally embarrassed. Maybe she should have sent the light ball after all. Then she would have had to see her buddies hooking up on Alphys’s desk. Maybe that was why they got her to send the light balls to begin with. Maddie scrubbed her hands over her face….

 

At that moment the door to the lab burst open and Alphys and Undyne rushed into the hall. Their eyes lit on her almost immediately.

 

“What the hell was that?”

 

“Ah….hey guys.” Maddie waved sheepishly. 

 

“And again, what the hell?!” Undyne repeated, skin flushed under her scales. 

 

“I kind of accidentally learned how to astral project.” 

 

“W-what?” Her friends just stared. 

 

“Ah...maybe we should continue the explanation in somewhere that is not a public hallway?” Maddie suggested, giving a brief nod towards the lab door. 

 

“Right. Public. Students. Secret magic.” Undyne grabbed her wrist, dragging her down the hallway into the lab, Alphys trailing behind her. When the door closed firmly behind them she whirled around. “Okay nerd, spill. What the hell was that?”

 

So she told them everything. Her meditation exercises, the floaty in-between space, scaring the hell out of Sans… 

 

“So instead of texting us last night or coming in today to tell us like a normal person you decided to scare the crap out of us.” Undyne concluded.

 

“Forgive me for trying to have a little fun with it,” Maddie retorted, sticking her tongue out at her. “I thought about doing it last night but it’s no fun if you’re asleep and I didn’t want to walk in on you two getting snuggly or something. Of course I didn’t expect you to be doing that exact thing on Alphys’s desk in the middle of the afternoon.”

 

Alphys ducked her head into the collar of her lab coat, her cheeks flaming. Even Undyne had the grace to blush. “W-we weren’t really --”

 

“Making out on the desk?” Their friend finished for her, nudging her teasingly with her elbow. “Yeah, you totally were. I’m almost jealous. Actually given I haven’t had anything resembling smoochies or any of their varieties in almost two years I am totally jealous.”

 

“Two years? Ouch.” Undyne shook her head. Sure she’d gone far longer without the snuggles before but now that she was getting them on a regular basis the thought of going that long without kissing her super cute girlfriend was just painful.

 

“You can see why my mother is so determined to set me up,” Maddie said with a wry smirk. “Because you know apparently it’s still 1850 and a young lady such as myself should have no greater ambition than to leg-shackle herself to the first acceptable man who will have me. In fact --” She gave an exaggerated gasp. “Lordy me! I have neglected both my corset and my bonnet! And -- saints preserve us, you can see my ankles. No man shall ever have me now!”

 

Undyne snorted. “You nerd. Do humans still even wear corsets?” 

 

“Generally not, certain costumed events and bedroom sport aside.” Which was a separate topic she really wasn’t sure she wanted to get into right now. “Anyway….so astral projection…”

 

“O-oh! Right!” Suddenly animated, Alphys dove for the cabinet beside her desk, retrieving the cat-eared helmet. “I’d like to t-take some readings---”

 

 

 

 

 

Papyrus was so excited about the next game that he bought that Maddie couldn’t help recording him as he played. His enthusiasm was so infectious and his reactions to the plot twists so funny that she sent the video to Alphys. She probably should have expected what happened next. Within the hour Papyrus’s phone had blown up with tag notifications. Alphys had posted the video on the Undernet, on a site that was basically the monster version of YouTube. Apparently “Let’s Play” videos were every bit as popular with monsters as they were with humans. By the end of the afternoon the ten minute video had over two hundred views and had been shared almost three doesn times.

 

Papyrus was stunned. Not only were other monsters watching him play a simple game, they actually seemed to enjoy it. The comment log was overflowing with praise and inquiries about whether he would be starting his own series. 

 

“It’s not a bad idea,” Maddie commented over dinner that night. “We could get the software, a good microphone -- maybe Alphys could help throw something together.”

 

“ALPHYS WOULD BE VERY GOOD AT MAKING THE RECORDING DEVICES,” Papyrus agreed. After all, she had made all off the ones that were scattered throughout the Underground. Give her a weekend and she could easily throw together something that would put anything on the market to shame. But Papyrus was perplexed. Why were so many monsters so eager to see him start his own show when most of them hadn’t even known who he was until they left the Undergound? Even among his fellow guards -- he was a guardsman-in-training so that still counted -- he had noticed that they never once called him by name. Oh they were friendly enough when they saw each other, saying ‘hi’ and asking how he was doing, asking how his brother was… but in all their years of knowing each other did they ever call him ‘Papyrus’. More than once he had overheard conversations where they referred to him as “the tall skeleton” or occasionally “Sans’s brother”. But they never used his name. Sometimes he wondered if they even remembered what it was. 

 

So why would these monsters be so interested in watching him now?

 

The question nagged at him all through dinner, his concern resulting in an uncharacteristic silence that worried Sans.

 

“You gonna’ tell us what’s eatin’ you?” He asked as his brother lifted another forkful of food to his mouth. “Or are you going to let it chew on you some more?”

 

Papyrus groaned. “ONLY YOUR TRULY DISGRACEFUL PUNS.”

 

“Aw, don’t be like that. I think my jokes are in very good taste. Sans-sational even.”

 

Maddie snickered as Papyrus let out a wail of dismay. “You might as well tell him. The puns will only get worse from here.”

 

The human had a point. It was just...embarrassing… to voice these doubts that he had. He was the Great Papyrus after all. Of course people would want to watch him. He should not have any doubts! But he did and they plagued him more than his brother’s incessant puns. “I do not know if this game channel is a good idea.”

 

They stared at him. It was utterly unlike Papyrus to show such insecurity. He was the Great Papyrus and if he ever did feel that way he did his best never to show it. 

 

“What do you mean bro?” Sans asked with a concerned frown. 

 

“I do not know if I wish to do this,” he admitted. “I am not an entertainer. I am not like Mettaton. Why would people wish to watch me play games?”

 

“Who wouldn’t want to watch the Great Papyrus?” His brother asked, trying not to grit his teeth as he tried for a reassuring smile. It hurt so badly to see him like this, so unsure, doubting his own value. Papyrus was the best monster he knew. The best person he knew, period. He deserved…..everything, everything good the world had to offer. 

 

“Exactly!” Maddie agreed. “I thought you were great. That’s why I recorded you to begin with. Did you see how many people commented on how funny you were?”

 

If anything Papyrus shrank further back into his chair. “I was not trying to be funny…”

 

Maddie lay one hand comfortingly on his gloved one. “You’re a natural, Papyrus. You’re charming and you’re sweet and you’re clever and people can see that when they watch you. You may not be like Mettaton but I think that’s a good thing, Mettaton is a great performer and he’s worked really hard to become one, but he’s always ‘on’, you know? It makes you wonder who he really is when there’s nobody else around. You have a gentleness, a genuineness that he doesn’t have. When people see you they see exactly who you are without any kind of artifice and they love that about you just like we do.”

 

Papyrus didn’t know what to say. A vibrantly orange blush had risen in his cheekbones and glowing orange drops glistened in his eye sockets that looked suspiciously like tears. 

 

Crap, he was crying! Had she said something wrong?

 

Sans laid his hand gently over his brother’s free one. “You okay, bro?”

 

He nodded, sniffing softly as he took a moment to gather himself. Then he straightened, a smile lighting his face. “OF COURSE I AM OKAY. I AM THE GREAT PAPYRUS! I AM ALWAYS OKAY!”

 

 

 

Papyrus spent much of the next week preparing for his first recording. Upon hearing of his decision Alphys instantly offered to build him a proper recording system. She had it finished in three days and was so excited to show him how it worked that she didn’t stutter at all through the entire explanation. The test-runs recorded like a dream, the sound and picture crystal-clear. 

 

The only thing Papyrus found unsatisfactory was his own performance. He felt so self-conscious in front of the camera, so awkward. How was one to have a conversation with nobody? It was one thing to talk to himself when he played but the moment the camera was turned on his speech turned stilted, subdued. After four practice attempts Papyrus shut the machine off and sat back against the couch with a frustrated sigh. 

 

“Hey, it’s okay bro,” Sans reassured him. “That last one was pretty good I thought.”

 

Papyrus shook his head in disagreement. “I AM NOT SURE THIS IS A GOOD IDEA… I SOUND LIKE A….A…”

 

“Robot?” Sans suggested with a grin.

 

“AND NOT EVEN A COOL ROBOT LIKE METTATON,” Papyrus lamented. 

 

“Would it help to have someone on camera with you?” Maddie asked, dropping onto the couch beside him. “Someone for you to interact with as you play. It might feel more natural.” And with any luck it would cause him to forget the camera was even there. 

 

The taller skeleton’s eyes widened, sparks of delight firing in his eyes. “THAT IS A WONDERFUL IDEA! I COULD HAVE GUEST STARS! HUMAN, YOU COULD PLAY WITH ME! AND SANS! THOUGH BROTHER YOU MUST PROMISE NOT TO DISRUPT MY VIDEOS WITH YOUR SHAMEFUL PUNS.”

 

His brother grinned back at him. “Aw but bro, my jokes are pun-derful.”

 

“NYEH! NO! NO PUNS. I REFUSE TO HAVE MY VIDEOS TAINTED WITH SUCH POORLY-CHOSEN HUMOUR.”

 

Sans turned away loftily. “Say what you want, a good pun is its own re-word.”

 

“WHILE I RESPECT THAT YOU HAVE MADE ATTEMPTS AT HUMOUR I ----- WAIT…” Papyrus frowned suspiciously. “THAT WAS A PUN TOO, WASN’T IT?” The overly innocent smile was all the answer he needed and he let out a whine of dismay.

 

Maddie grinned. Personally she thought if the brothers recorded together it would go down in Undernet history as comedy gold. “Why don’t you play this next one together, see how that goes?”

 

“Good thinkin’,” Sans nodded, giving Maddie a companionable slap on the back. She flinched at the contact, letting out a pained hiss that had him jerking back in surprise. “Woah! You okay kid?”

 

Maddie nodded. “Yeah, just a bit tender still. Going to take a couple days to heal.”

 

Papyrus frowned in concern. “HEAL? HAVE YOU BEEN INJURED?”

 

“I went for my tattoo yesterday, remember?” It was something she had been considering for a few years now but had never been able to really commit to a design she wanted. It hadn’t been as painful as she thought it would be overall, even if she’d had to sleep on her front the previous night. It only really hurt when someone touched it so that wasn’t too bad. 

 

Sans cringed as he remembered her explanation of the procedure. “I still can’t believe humans pay that much money to have someone jab them with needles.”

 

“What can I say, it’s a long-standing tradition.” She shrugged. “At least the designs don’t have to be done by hand with a pick and a tiny hammer anymore.”

 

The brothers looked horrified. “They what?”

 

“Oh yeah, they didn’t invent the needle gun thing until the 1980’s I think so until then if you wanted a tattoo it had to be tapped in by hand.” Which in her mind was a great big bucket of ‘no thank you’. “Actually there are some aboriginal cultures who still mark their warriors that way.”

 

That caught Papyrus’s attention. She had mentioned before when she first brought up getting the tattoo that there were many cultures that marked their warriors thusly. It was more than simple ornamentation. Some ancient cultures believed that imprinting symbols on one’s body could be used to heal ailments, summon spirits, or protect the bearer from illness or wicked intent. Maddie had explained that in her case it was purely for the aesthetic. She’d always held a deep interest in the power of symbols and had tried for years to find something that meant enough to her that she’d want to wear it permanently. She was not a warrior. Papyrus disagreed. It was not simply the sword games, or how she progressed in her lessons with him. This was a human who stood up for what she believed in, who fought to protect her friends and would do anything in her power to keep them safe. If that didn’t make her a warrior what did?

 

Sans, still envisioning humans chiseling designs into each other’s faces, shuddered. “And on that disturbing note…..you going to show us, or just needle us with more weird human history?”

 

Maddie snorted. “That one might have been a bit of a stretch, but sure.” She pulled her cardigan down over her shoulders, revealing a splash of colour visible between her shoulder blades, above the back of her deep blue tank top. The soft flower design was done in a watercolour rainbow of colours -- blue, green, red, purple, teal, gold, and orange. At first glance it resembled a lotus flower or maybe a delphinium of some sort, but upon closer inspection they could see that each petal was subtly shaped like a small heart -- or a human soul. Interspersed through them were curling lines of white which, if examined closely, formed the outlines of small hearts as well. 

 

"OOH! HUMAN, THE FLOWER IS SO PRETTY!"

 

Sans gave a low whistle. "Nice. You know Undyne's going to want one now."

 

Maddie tilted her head. “Is that even a possibility?”

 

“Ah...Probably not,” Sans admitted with a shrug. “Monsters aren’t really made for that kind of...physical modification. She’s going to be be jealous as hell.” 

 

Papyrus nodded in agreement. “UNDYNE HAS SHOWN GREAT INTEREST IN THE PAINTED HUMANS THAT SHE HAS SEEN ON THE TELEVISION. SHE WILL BE QUITE SAD THAT SHE CANNOT DECORATE HERSELF AS WELL.”

 

“But she has those gorgeous blue scales so she really doesn’t need anything else for decoration,” Maddie commented, pulling her sweater back up. “We humans don’t have anything like that so we have to be responsible for our own ornamentation.” Which was another fascinating area of history that she wasn’t going to get into just now. 

 

So you put holes in yourselves and poke yourselves with needles. Sans shook his head. Humans were just weird sometimes. But then they weren’t as varied in appearance as Monsters tended to be. Guess they have to distinguish themselves somehow… 

 

“So,” Maddie nodded towards the television screen. “So want to try recording again.”

 

Papyrus grinned, resetting the game. “YES! LET US RECORD TOGETHER!”

 

 

 

 

 

Wind howled outside the cozy house, the blowing snow blotting out the dark night sky. It was a good thing, Toriel thought, that she had invited their friends to stay at her home tonight. Now they gathered around the living room, clutching mugs of hot chocolate and eating crockpot s’mores as they played Monopoly with Frisk. The small house was filled with lively chatter, competitive shouts, and delighted laughter. Nothing made Toriel happier than a full house, to have all of her loved ones safe and cared for under one roof. She had lived in isolation for so long -- her own choice after the loss of her children -- but now, to be surrounded by such joy again… It did her soul a world of good. 

 

Undyne was crowing over Alphys’s Monopoly victory when the lights flickered briefly then died all together. 

 

“The hell?”

 

“WHAT HAPPENED TO THE LIGHTS?”

 

“Nothing to be worried about,” Toriel reassured them, a ball of fire flickering to life in her hand. “Just a small power outage. I will have to check the breakers.” Or at least that was what the landlord had told her to do should this happen. 

 

“I’ll come with,” Sans offered, pushing himself off the couch. He at least had some idea what to look for. “Though uh...maybe we might want to take something a bit less flammable?” The basement wasn’t totally finished after all and with the exposed insulation...better not to chance it. 

 

“Ah...perhaps you are right,” Toriel agreed. “I must have a flashlight around here somewhere or….oh!” She turned to Maddie. “Perhaps you could...shed some light on the situation?”

 

Papyrus groaned at the pun. It was bad enough that his brother plagued them with his incessant punning but why did the Queen have to do it as well?

 

Maddie blinked in surprise. “You sure?” This would not be the first time that Toriel had seen her magic -- she had dropped by their practice sessions once or twice, often with pie -- but this was official sanction to use magic outside the lab. 

 

Toriel nodded. “If you do not mind.”

 

The girl grinned and a moment later the room was filled with tiny blue balls of light, glowing cheerfully in the dark. Frisk clapped in delight and Papyrus let out an enthusiastic cheer.

 

“OH! THEY ARE SO PRETTY!”

 

“Thanks Papyrus.”

 

“M-maybe we should grab some blankets?” Alphys suggested. “In case the p-power doesn’t come back on for a while.” Sans and Papyrus, having lived in Snowdin for so long, could easily handle the cold but well...there was a reason that until she came to the surface she lived in Hotland. Even Undyne wasn’t exactly fond of the cold. It made her scales dry and brittle, or so she complained whenever she’d been out in it for too long. 

 

She had a point. Who knew how long the power would be out for? Sure they had Toriel’s fire if they really needed it but in a house full of flammable things it was definitely best to try other methods of keeping warm first. 

 

Frisk immediately jumped up to lead them on a quest for blankets, dragging down quilts from the bedrooms and hall closets until they had created a cozy nest on the living room floor. There had been talk of a fort, one with occasional table ramparts and ballistae to ward off invaders, but that idea was quickly vetoed when Undyne suggested removing somebody’s bedroom door and using it as a drawbridge. 

 

When Toriel and Sans returned from checking the breaker Maddie let the lights vanish, leaving only a few scattered about the room. 

 

“So what’s the verdict?” She asked, peeking out from her blanket cocoon.

 

Sans shook his head. “Think we’re going to be sittin’ in the dark for a bit,” he answered. If it had been something like the Core powering the building either he or Alphys could have it fixed no problem. With this human electrical wiring...well they might be able to fix it, or they might short everything out and burn the house down. He nodded to the lights. “How long can you keep these going for?”

 

Maddie shrugged. “Not really sure. I think the longest we tested was a couple hours but I should be able to keep most of them going until we decide to turn in for the night.”

 

Well, that made that easier. Sure Toriel had her fireballs but her little house was far from flame-retardant and there wasn’t any fireplace so that didn’t help any. With Alphys there they could probably jury-rig something if they had to but it was probably best to avoid dismantling the appliances for now. Sans could theoretically shortcut them out of the house if he really needed to but where would they go? He could only make shortcuts to places he’d been, otherwise he’d pack everybody up to Aruba for a beach vacation. Papyrus could bring his water wings and Undyne could swim circles around all of them. But he’d never been out of Ebott so where did that leave them? They could go to Alphys and Undyne’s place, or back to their own, but what if the power was out there too? If it came down to it the only place he could take them would be the Underground, and he’d really rather avoid that if he could. The barrier was gone, he knew that, but somewhere inside was this persistent, nagging fear that if he ever found himself in the Underground again he might not be able to return to the surface. And if that happened...it might just kill him. 

 

A brief tug on his jacket sleeve pulled him from his thoughts.

 

You okay? Frisk signed once they had his attention. 

 

Sans nodded, giving the kid what he hoped was a casual smile. “Yeah, I’m good. Just thinkin’ about the power.” A quick glance outside on the way downstairs had told him that this was not the only house affected. The entire neighbourhood appeared to be blacked out. At least it wasn’t just them, Then he’d be chilled for an entirely different reason. 

 

Are you afraid of the dark? They asked. We can ask Maddie to make more lights.

 

Sans couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought. A Monster afraid of the dark. What could possibly be hiding in the dark that was scarier than he was? And okay, Papyrus slept with a night light sometimes but he never would say why. “Thanks for the thought, kid. But how could I be scared with you and Paps here to protect me?”

 

Frisk giggled, striking a ‘hero’ pose that would have done Papyrus proud. 

 

And speaking of Papyrus, he had just discovered how useful little light balls could be in the making of shadow puppets and had decided to enact his favourite Fluffy Bunny story on the wall. Undyne had joined in enthusiastically, creating quite a good likeness of a barking dog to interact with Papyrus’s bunny. Alphys, having not quite the requisite number of fingers for some of the more common figures, was working with Maddie and had managed to create what looked like the silhouette of a human figure with a large nose and curly hair. 

 

Frisk let out a sound of delight, running back to join them, their hands creating the shape of an enthusiastically flapping bird. 

 

Fluffy Bunny’s adventures carried him across the wall, joined by his faithful companions Random Dog, Flappy Bird, and Big-Nose Guy. But then, just when they thought that their journey had come to a satisfying end, the shadow of a great beast appeared on the wall behind them, its long, thin arms undulating menacingly. The shadow-players jerked back in surprise, searching for the source of the creature only to find a smiling buttercup in a terracotta pot sitting a few feet away. 

 

“Golly! I didn’t scare you guys, did I?” Flowey asked with an innocent smile.

 

“N-n-n-no,” Alphys stammered, shaking her head. “We just d-didn’t see you come d-down.”

 

“WOULD YOU CARE TO JOIN US IN A ROLICKING ADVENTURE, FLOWEY?” Papyrus offered, scooting over to make room for the flower and his pot. “THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM FOR ONE MORE IN OUR MERRY BAND.” 

 

Did he want to join them? Hell no. But this offered a way better vantage point than lurking on the stairs as he had done earlier. Coming to the surface was the most interesting thing to happen to him in years -- Frisk falling into the Underground aside. After living through every possible variation of events it was nice to experience something new. And well things got quiet..well he could always make his own fun. Which was how he ended up sneaking out of the house and jimmying some vines into the power box a couple houses down, 

 

After the equivalent of a few lifetimes watching these fools react to every variety of outcomes it was interesting to see how they would handle being left in the dark. And hadn’t it been a treat to see the smiley trashbag looking so rattled. That was an unexpected bonus. 

 

“Sure!” Flowey replied brightly. “I’d love to join you!”


	10. Chapter 10: In Which the Need for Further Training Becomes Apparent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maddie learns some things about the not-so-friendly neighbourhood buttercup, and faces difficult odds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back!
> 
> I'm so sorry I took so long with this chapter. Honestly it's been fighting me for a year and I didn't want to post it until I was done what I wanted to do with it. 
> 
> Thanks so much to everyone reading this. As always I look forward to your feedback!

**Chapter 10**

  
  


          Having captured her friends’ attention in regards to the upcoming convention Maddie immediately offered to make costumes. Undyne’s would be fairly straight forward especially as she could use some of her own armor for the greaves and pauldrons. Alphys...would require a bit more work. To save time, Maddie often adapted patterns that she already had to suit the designs that she needed, but Alphys’s proportions were different enough from the average human female that Maddie felt it best to draft the pieces from scratch. From that she would make a practice version of the dress from old bed sheets purchased at a second-hand store. When she brought the mock-up for the first fitting during one of their practice sessions she was pleased to note that the vectors that she’d created were actually pretty accurate.

          Alphys could barely contain her excitement, bouncing on her toes as Maddie made a note to adjust the hem a couple of inches. Even without the ruffles and frills it was easily recognizable as the heroine’s dress from Mew Mew Kissy Cutie. Just made out of Spiderman sheets. “Ah! It’s so cute!”

          “Looking pretty good,” Undyne agreed, brushing her hands over the front of the bedsheet-jacket she wore. Utterly in love with the long, dramatic lines, she didn’t even care that she was covered in pictures of Dora the Explorer.

          “I’m glad you like them so far. How’s the range of movement with the sleeves? I can add gussets underneath if you’re feeling too restricted?”

          “What are we Gus-ing? Who’s Gus?”

          “A gusset is a little insert-thing that gives you a couple extra inches at the armpit so you have more room to move.”

          “Nerd.” Undyne grinned, raising her arms to test her range. “Yeah, could use an inch or two.”

          Maddie made another note in her phone. “Rockin. Okay, I will add that in. Otherwise fits pretty good?”

          “I think so? Hard to tell when I look like a giant kindergartener.”

          “Aw but I picked Dora especially for you,” Maddie grinned. “She’s so cute and chipper. You two are like twins.”

          Alphys muffled a giggle with her claws. Undyne as Dora-- now that would be an interesting show. Best not to pitch it to Mettaton or he might actually write something like that. She could see it now:

_           Hola punks! We’re going on an adventure to wrestle alligators! And maybe a boa constrictor! Now let’s jump off this waterfall! _

          Yeah...that would not go well.

          “Oh yeah, totally identical,” Undyne snorted. Did that make Papyrus her monkey companion? That was a weird thought… “I want tea. You guys want anything? Course you do. Flowery one for Alphys and sweet fruity thing for Mads.”

          “Maybe let me unpin the jacket before you head out,” Maddie suggested, retrieving her pincushion from Alphys’s desk. “Your a-Dora-bleness might be too much for the student body to handle.”

          “Aw thanks n--- was that a pun?”

          Maddie grinned as she plucked the pins that fastened the front of the jacket.. “I can neither confirm nor deny the use of puns or any associated word play in that statement.”

          “Dork. You’re spending too much time with Sans. His crappy puns are contagious.”

          “Hey!” She protested with a laugh. “I like puns. I’ve always liked puns. I just use them more now.”

          “Even worse. I’m going to run off to get tea now before your lame puns corrupt me too.” Undyne passed over the Dora coat with a teasing nudge before slinging on her own battered leather jacket and heading out the door.

          “You know it’s weird,” Maddie commented, folding the draft jacket over one of the desk chairs. “The room gets so much quieter when she leaves. Not, like, volume-wise but….she has such presence, you know? You can’t help but notice her even if she was just sitting off to the side.” Even for someone who didn’t have her sensitivity it would be hard not to notice that kind of energy.

          “Is that a m-magic thing?” Alphys asked. “The s-sensing?” Monsters did something similar. Being composed primarily of magic themselves, they would of course be sensitive to the energies of the people around them but she’d seen little evidence of it in humans.

          “I think the magic helps a bit but I think all humans have some kind of energetic sensitivity. Most brush it off or at best consider it a danger instinct in some cases, but it’s definitely there. Sometimes just being around certain people makes you feel calm and safe… On the other hand you may run into one of those rare people that seem super nice but make every instinct you have scream at you to run away. That’s how I felt when I met Flowey.”

          Alphys jolted at the name, almost dislodging the pins Maddie had used to adjust the shoulder straps of her dress. “O-oh?”

          “He’s like...a blank spot in my vision. I look at him and it’s like….something’s missing that should be there, you know?” Maddie frowned, crouching to mark a spot on the dress bodice that she needed to adjust. “What...okay this is going to sound really rude but I have to ask: what is he?”

          Alphys bit her lip uncertainly. “I d-don’t...really know. None of us do. H-he just sort of...was there.” Kind of like the skeleton brothers, actually, but more...subtle. She’d caught him popping up on her cameras now and again but he rarely interacted with anyone until Frisk fell into the underground. “The only one he’s r-really ever talked to that I’ve seen is Papyrus but…”

          Papyrus would never even think to ask. He accepted everyone as they were, human or monster, without any need for explanations. It wasn’t that he was naive or unintelligent -- actually it surprised her sometimes just how clever and observant he was -- but he was open and kind and truly believed the best of everyone he met. She admired that about him.

          Maddie quirked an eyebrow incredulously. “Flowey hangs out with Papyrus?” That was unexpected.

          “It’s n-not really -- h-he talks to him. Papyrus.” Encouraged him, which she hadn’t expected. Listened to him and reassured him when he was down. And laughed to himself about the skeleton’s failures when he was alone. He knew she watched them. She’d seen him stare right into the camera when he had something snide and pointed to say. And when one of her cameras short-circuited or malfunctioned...she had no proof but she was pretty sure that was Flowey too.

          “Weird. I wouldn’t have pictured those two as friends. One would have hoped that Papyrus’s influence might encourage Flowey to be less….murder-y.”

          “R-right?” Alphys chuckled.

          “Would explain why Papyrus was so eager to have him join us when we were playing shadow puppets though,” Maddie mused.

          Because that hadn’t been awkward at all, nooo. Maddie had spent half the night watching Flowey out of the corner of her eye, trying to figure out what exactly his angle was. He seemed to know exactly what kind of apprehension his presence raised in her, if the occasional side-eyed smirk was anything to go by. Was he just trying to lull them into a false sense of security? Or was there actually some part of him that genuinely wanted to be near other people? She wanted to believe that there was some part of him that wasn’t entirely awful, the parts that Papyrus got to see when they spoke, but all she could see were snide comments and insincere smiles. There had to be more to the little flower than that...right?

 

 

          It was sheer curiosity that had Maddie taking a mental stroll that night. Well...curiosity and a dream-walking astral projecting ability that she was still trying to get the hang of. What exactly was Flowey? Who was he when there was nobody else around? How did a flower end up sentient and magical? Did flowers sleep like people did? Did he curl up in his flower pot in Toriel’s homey kitchen as the house’s occupants slept?

          She could picture it so clearly, the cosy kitchen dark for the night, slivers of moonlight gleaming through the open window.

          Flowey sat in his pot on the window ledge, gazing pensively into the yard. It was an expression Maddie was sure that not many people saw. The sardonic, the manic, the falsely cheerful-- those were commonplace. But this look of frustration, the quiet sadness… those he wouldn’t want anyone to see.

          After a moment he sighed, the corners of his mouth turned down in an irritated frown. “I know you’re there, you know.”

          Crap.  _ “Hey Flowey.” _

          “What, magic practice isn’t enough for you so you decide to add voyeurism to your repertoire?” He sneered.

_           “Let’s just say I was curious.” _ She responded, trying to keep her voice casual. This….was probably a huge mistake. Could he hurt her in this form? She wasn’t sure. 

          The flower snorted derisively. “What is it you humans say about curiosity killing the cat?”

_           "Curiosity may have killed the cat but satisfaction brought it back. People always seem to forget that bit.” _

          “And has the little witch satisfied her curiosity?”

_           “You know I don’t find that word insulting, right?” _ She said mildly.  _ “And you are hardly in the position to be calling anyone ‘little’.” _

          In his current form, maybe. In his more powerful ones he could swat her like a gnat. If she continued to annoy him he still might. “What the hell do you want? What has you so curious that your soul decided to lurk around someone else’s house in the middle of the night?”

          Not that it was exactly a planned field trip but…  _ “You did.” _

          Wait… what?  “So what, you were just going to lurk around and spy on me?”

_           “Given the last time we had an actual conversation you tried to kill me, I figured it was the safer option. Didn’t figure you’d be able to see me. Lots of people can’t.” Monsters sometimes, humans definitely not. _

          “Yeah well I’m not exactly people, am I?”

_           “Sure you are,” _ she shrugged.  _ “Grumpy, sarcastic, a bit homicidal, but still people. I mean you kind of show up differently when I look at you this way...but that doesn’t mean anything.” _

          “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Flowey asked, letting out a sigh of exasperation.

_           “I can sense the magic in the others, shows up like...an impression of colour,”  _  Maddie told him, remembering how she’d explained it to Alphys.  _ “It’s easier with people whose magic I’m familiar with, and I think it’s safe to say that I’m fairly well acquainted with yours… But I can’t feel any colour there.” _ She could feel his magic certainly but there was something…different. Missing.

          “Yeah well,” he muttered, looking more than a little annoyed. “Not having a soul will do that.” Probably.

_           "...what?” _

          Flowey rolled his little black eyes. “God, you’re stupid. Let me repeat myself so you understand; I. Have. No. Soul.”

          How...How was that even possible? Could something even be sentient without a soul? And wasn’t that where a monster’s magic came from?  _ “How does that even work?” _

          “Fuck if I know,” he spat. “And that stuttering nitwit didn’t do that much to try and figure it out, especially once she got playing with those abominations.” ‘Amalgamates’ they called them now. Mutated, malformed and twisted. Much more deserving of her focus.

_           "Wait...Alphys did this to you?” _ Maddie stared in disbelief.

          “Part of her experiments with Determination,” Flowey answered with a twisted sneer. “What happens when something without a soul gains the will to live?” It exists in a state of constant resentment and misery, unable to feel even the slightest bit of happiness. Still he raised his leaves, gave a sardonic bow. “Surprise. You get little ol’ me. But then the scaley idiot always did like playing God.” Well, that was one thing they had in common.

          Maddie was stunned. This was some crazy Doctor Frankenstein crap.  _ “And she just left you like this?” _

          She hadn’t had much choice, all things considered. Flowey wasn’t even sure that she’d ever come back after injecting the tiny seedling that he had once been with Determination. He’d woken alone in his father’s garden, his memory and identity intact, but his body… He was confused, terrified, and as as frightened children do he called for his father. Asgore had been… stunned. Ecstatic. Somehow, though he had lost everything, his son had returned to him. Asriel -- he had still thought of himself as ‘Asriel’ then -- had never seen his father cry but that day the great king Asgore wept like a small child.

          But for Asriel...there had been nothing. He should have been happy. He loved his father...didn’t he? And yet though he remembered those feelings from his past, he could no longer call them forth, He tried, oh how he tried. For weeks he remained with Asgore, willing himself to fix whatever had been broken inside of him, but to no avail. From there he sought out his mother. If there was anyone who could help him to feel love again surely it was Toriel. But still there was nothing inside but fear and sorrow.

          He couldn’t keep living like this. What was the point if you felt no joy, no love? It would be better, he was certain, not to live at all. Better to erase himself than to continue in such anguish. But as his consciousness faded he began to wonder...what would happen after he died if he didn’t have a soul?

          That had been the first time he reset. He’d gone right back to the beginning, to the moment he had first awakened as a flower, before his family had learned what had become of him. There had been a thousand more since then. He had befriended everyone, saved everyone, killed everyone. It never really mattered. Life was cheap in the end.

          And then Frisk had fallen into the Underground and oh, what fun that had been. Even if Frisk’s Determination superseded his own, stealing from him the power to save and reset time, it was the most fun he’d had in ages. There were times when it was like having his sibling back. But the kid was determined to save everyone. Lame. Except those times when it wasn’t Frisk at all. Seeing Chara take control and cut a dusty swath through the Underground had almost made his continued existence worth it. Until they had ended that too. Funny how history repeated itself.

          Over and over again Flowey watched Frisk and Chara play the game that he had played for so long; but in the end Frisk won out, befriending every single monster they met and even getting Asgore to back down. It had been all too easy to lure the kid’s little friends to the barrier, all too easy to steal their souls along with those of the humans that Asgore had collected.

          With the power of the entire Undergound coursing through him, he had become a god. But he couldn’t kill Frisk. Somehow the kid’s Determination had outmatched even him, reaching in and freeing the captured souls one by one until for one brief, shining moment he was himself again. Not the soulless flower, not the vengeful god, but little Asriel, a child who missed his family.

          It was for them that he used the last echoes of magic to bring down the barrier.

          And then he was alone again. It was worse, so much worse to go back to how he was before, soulless and resentful, once he finally knew what it was to truly feel again.

          What happened when you gave something without a soul the will to live? They can’t bring themselves to die, no matter how much they want to.

          He had been better off as he was. Why did that stuttering freakshow have to bring him back?

          A soft touch on his stem had him jerking violently. “Do not touch me,” he snarled, jerking away from the translucent hand. “Touch me again and I will kill you.”

_           “How about I just hug you instead?” _ Maddie offered sympathetically. He just looked so...broken. It physically hurt to see him like this, even if he was a homicidal little buttercup.

          “How about I kill you, find a way to reset, and then kill you again?”

_           "I’d appreciate it if you didn’t. I’ve got a commission that I’ve got to finish tomorrow and I’d hate to disappoint the client.” _

          “Oh yes,” he snorted. “Heavens forbid the humans not get their trinkets.”

_           “Do you have to be such a jerk all the time?” _

          Flowey raised a sarcastic eyebrow...ish thing. “Comes with the territory. Forgive me for not pulling out the warm fuzzies but you see, I’m all out.”

          All out...or incapable of having any?  _ “...Flowey...are you able to feel anything at all?” _

          “Sure. Annoyance, anger, resentment, outright hatred -- that one is fun-- let’s see...derision….”

_           “Joy? Gratitude? Love?” _

          Flowey snorted. “Who needs those? Especially love.” It only hurt when it was taken away.

_           “Everyone. We all need love, Flowey.” _ She wouldn’t be here without it. The love of her friends saved her, even when she questioned whether she was worth saving.   _ “It doesn’t have to be like this. Maybe Alphys can--” _

          “Alphys can’t do shit,” he snapped. “It would have been better if she’d never brought me back.”

_           “Back? What do you--”  _ The sound of footsteps upstairs had her trailing off.

          Flowey shook his head, a mocking smile on his face. “Better disappear, little witch. Wouldn’t want the queen to find you playing with magic outside of class.”

          He was right, unfortunately. Maddie sighed.  _ “Goodnight, Flowey. Sweet dreams.” _

  
  
  
  


          Thoughts of her conversation with Flowey kept her distracted for much of the next couple of weeks. Maddie tried to bring him up to Papyrus when they trained but he was more full of praise than actual information. Flowey, he said, had many problems. He never spoke of them but Papyrus understood that there are things sometimes that you just can’t talk about. He didn’t mind if Flowey was a little rude or didn’t really think Papyrus was capable of being a guardsman. He needed a friend, and to Papyrus that was all that mattered.

          It took being knocked on her backside during her next SCA practice session for Maddie to stop dwelling on it. 

          “You okay?” Her partner asked, offering her a hand up. “You haven’t taken a fall like that in ages.”

          “Yeah, just a bit distracted,” Maddie shrugged, allowing him to pull her upright.

          “Ooh by what? Is it a boy?” He teased, waggling his eyebrows suggestively. Derrek was incorrigible when it came to talk of dating and relationships and considered this payback for all the teasing he got from Maddie when he first started dating his boyfriend. He swore he hadn’t stopped blushing that entire first week.

          “Pft, right” She snorted. “You know as well as I do I haven’t been on a date in over a year. One of my roomies his this friend and….there’s something off about him, you know? I worry about him.”

          “Have you talked to him about it?”

          Maddie nodded. “Said he’s fine, that this guy just needs a friend. I know Papyrus can take care of himself but…”

          “But he’s a cinnamon roll and you don’t want to see him squished.”

          “Exactly. I know he’s a grown man -- skeleton -- but he’s a sweetheart. I don’t want him to get hurt.”

          “Then it’s lucky he has friends like you to stick with him, and take down that other guy if he ever pulls anything.”

          “Dude, if he pulls anything, I will be the least of his worries. Sans will get out the lawnmower and turn that flower to mulch.”

          Derrek blinked. “Papyrus’s friend….is a flower?”

          “Yes. A talking flower. A really sarcastic talking flower.”

          “.......Monster stuff is weird.”

          “You have no idea.”

  
  
  
  


          When practice was over Maddie waved goodbye to her friends and headed down the street towards her car, shooting a text to Papyrus as she went. His snappy little convertible was in the shop for maintenance so he was hanging out at Muffett’s nearby coffee shop until Maddie could drive him home.

        **_Practice done. Meet at the car?_**

          Her phone pinged with a reply a moment later.

_**YES! I HAVE BROUGHT SNACKS FOR US THAT WE MIGHT HAVE WHEN WE GET HOME.** _

          Maddie grinned in anticipation. Muffet may cook with spiders (was that cannibalism?) but she made damn good brownies.

          She was just about to turn the corner towards her vehicle when she heard the sounds of a commotion across the street. Just visible in the narrow alleyway between a barbershop and an under-construction sandwich place, Maddie could make out a trio of men jeering at something between them. Something small. Maddie’s grip tightened on her bag. She should leave. She should not be taking on three grown men… But instead of turning towards her car her feet led her across the street. As she drew closer she recognized the catlike form of the monster that the men had cornered. But that wasn’t the only thing she recognized. One of the men bent to loom over the little Temmie, the shadows shifting to reveal a face that Maddie had burned into her mind months ago.

_           Oh hell no! _ Maddie’s hands clenched into angry fists as she charged across the street. “Well, well, if it isn’t my old pal V. I see you’ve graduated from threatening schoolchildren and have moved on to bullying defenceless Temmie. Your mother must be so proud.”

          The men turned, the one she called V’s teeth baring in a silent snarl as he recognized her. “You again.”

          “Yeah, me again. Aren’t you lucky?” She stood hip-shot on the corner, her posture as insolent and insulting as she could make it. “Don’t you guys have something better to do than pick on people half your size?”

          One of the other men -- a stocky, scraggly-looking type with a close-trimmed beard flecked with grey -- scoffed. “You call these freaks ‘people’?”

          “I’d definitely put them higher on the ladder of civilization than you three,” Maddie retorted. “Bad enough to have grown men picking on children and monsters half their size, but to gang up on them like this? That’s just cheap. So-called ‘people’ like you make me ashamed to be human.”

          “Little monster-loving bitch.” V stepped forward, giving Maddie the opening she needed.

          “Temmie, run!”

          The little cat monster darted forward. Beardy reached for them but Maddie swung her gym bag and knocked his hand away, blocking his advance with her own body.

          “I won’t let you hurt them.”

          “It’s not the little freak you should be worried about.”

          Well she sure had their attention now. Her every instinct screamed at her to run. If V had been alone she probably could have taken him, but three-on-one was not exactly favourable odds and if she used her magic, not only was it cheating, but revealing the resurgence of magic in humans posed a risk to every Monster on Earth, as well as every human with magical potential.

          The moment they stepped towards her she turned and bolted but only made it a few paces before one of them caught her sleeve and pulled her back. She turned, using the momentum that had carried her forward to swing at the offender with a hard left cross.

_           Well, so much for being able to claim self-defense. _ She couldn’t exactly do that when she technically attacked first. This...was not going to end well.

          The man fell back with a curse, releasing her just as his two buddies started in. Maddie blocked a punch from Beardy, then ducked as V threw a punch of his own. She came in low with a body shot that left him gasping.

          “You -- little bitch --” He wheezed.

          Maddie kicked out, aiming for Beardy’s knee when the third man grabbed her by the hair, slinging her back into the brick wall of the barbershop. She only just avoided his fist and the moment she was out of the way she grabbed hold of his jacket and shoved him face-first into the brick, driving her knee into his gut as she did.

          She had a brief moment to think  _ one down _ before a meaty fist collided with her face, sending her staggering back against the wall herself.  _ Fuck! Ow -- two to go. God damn it. _

          V took another swing but Maddie blocked it with an upraised fist, shifting into the defensive position Papyrus had taught her, and struck out in turn with her free hand. She kept her back to the wall, and this time when Beardy came at her she was prepared. She side-stepped his fist, driving her elbow hard into his solar plexus and bringing her knee up to meet his nose when he dropped. As she turned back to face V something hard struck her across the cheek. She fell back against the wall again, tasting blood, and when her spinning head cleared enough for her to see straight again she found herself staring down the barrel of an ugly snub-nosed pistol.

          Maddie straightened slowly, her eyes on V. So much for getting through this without using magic. There wasn’t the slightest chance of dodging, not at this range. She wondered if V would even see the shield if she cast it. She wondered if it would stop a bullet. She could stop Undyne’s spears so maybe, maybe she had a chance. But if it did work, if he saw it….was survival worth putting her friends at risk?

          V’s mouth twisted in a sneer. “What, no smart comments? Not so tough now are you, little bitch?”

          Says the guys who pulls a gun when it’s already a three-on-one fight.

          His friends pushed themselves painfully upright, coming to stand at his side. Beardy’s nose was bleeding fiercely and the third man was wheezing, slouched and favoring his left side.

          Well...at least if she died today she had the satisfaction that she had held her own until now. Maddie did not falter, keeping her gaze steady on their faces. If these gutless worms were going to kill her they were going to have to look her in the eyes when they did it.

          She could see it in his eyes when he was going to do it, see his finger tightening on the trigger.

          “Put down the gun, human. I would hate for someone to get hurt.”

          “And I’d hate for you to be next if you don’t shut your damn mouth and mind your -- HOLY SHIT!” V jolted, almost dropping his gun at the sight of the very large, very angry skeleton who had come up behind them.

          Papyrus stood his ground, his eyes burning orange like hot coals in the dark. “Perhaps you ought to give that to me. I do not trust it in your hands.” Before the man could stop him, Papyrus snatched the gun from his hands and leveled a quelling glance at the other two as they stepped towards him. “Is there going to be a problem, gentlemen?”

          For a moment it looked like there would be. The three men exchanged glances, debating whether they could take him.

          Seeing their hesitation, Papyrus frowned. “Oh, how silly of me. Are you waiting for me to return your gun? But it seems it has been damaged. Allow me to fix it for you.” He grasped the weapon in his gloved hands and pushed, twisting the barrel out of any usable shape. “There! Much better.”

          Seeing their best weapon reduced to a useless hunk of metal erased whatever bravado they had left between them. V and his cronies immediately turned tail and ran off down the street, not even daring to glance behind them.

          Papyrus turned back to face Maddie. “HUMAN, ARE YOU ALRIGHT?”

          She nodded briefly, swaying slightly as the adrenaline that had flooded her system when the fight began started to fade. “Yeah. F-fine…” Her voice cracked at the last word. “I’m….alive.”

          Alive. She choked down the hysterical giggle that threatened at the thought. She had been sure she was about to die, alone and abandoned on the street. And then Papyrus --    

          Maddie pressed her lips together, covering her face with trembling hands as she forced back a sob. A moment later she found her face pressed into the deep blue wool of her friend’s coat, his arms wrapped around her in a tight hug. She clung to the fabric, tears coursing down her cheeks as she wept out her terror and desperate relief.

          Papyrus bowed his head over hers, stroking one hand soothingly over her hair. Thank all the stars he had found her when he did. If he’d been even a moment later… Mentally he shook his head, dispelling the thought. For the first time in his life he had been truly furious. For the first time, he had wanted to fight for real. The three cowards who had hurt his dear friend would have been no match for him. But that was not his way. He was the better monster. Allowing them to escape instead of depositing them on the doorstep of the nearest constabulary grated on him, but there were much more important things to see to. Maddie needed him.

          Eventually Maddie’s tears faded to sniffles. With effort she pried her still-shaking hands from Papyrus’s jacket and wiped her face, cringing as the motion set her cheek to throbbing.

          Papyrus frowned. “Your face is badly bruised. We must get you to a hospital, or perhaps to the queen.” Monster candy could only do so much, and the donuts that he had brought from Muffet’s bakery had been dropped the moment he saw Maddie cornered. Bumps and bruises they could heal almost instantly, but he was concerned that something had broken when the human had struck her with the gun.

          “Hospital. definitely,” Maddie agreed. “But first…  we need to go to the police.” She hadn’t reported V the first time and who knew how many poor monsters he had assaulted since then. “We were lucky tonight. The Temmie they were harassing got away, and you were able to scare them off, but something has to be done. We can’t risk them hurting anyone else.”

          “THAT IS A WISE DECISION. STARS FORBID THOSE RUFFIANS SHOULD STRIKE AGAIN.” Papyrus nodded decisively, then with a effortless motion he swept her up into his arms and turned back towards the lot where the car was parked.

          “Woah! What--- what are you doing? Papyrus--! Put me down!”

          “NONSENSE. YOU ARE INJURED. I WOULD BE REMISS IN MY DUTIES AS A ROYAL GUARD IF I ALLOWED YOU TO WALK THAT DISTANCE ON YOUR OWN.”

          “Seriously I’m fine. I can -- I can walk by myself. Papyrus! Wait, what about my bag?”          “AH YES, WE CANNOT FORGET THAT.” He stooped briefly, slipping the strap of her duffle bag over his wrist, then continue towards the car with her still bundled up in his arms. 

 

 

 

  
  
          To say that the officers on duty were surprised when Maddie and Papyrus walked through their door was an understatement. She had at least convinced him to allow her to walk the short distance from the parking lot into the station itself. But the sight of a young woman with a bruised face, accompanied by a very large skeleton wearing a wool coat and red uggs was definitely not one that they had expected that evening.

          Papyrus was not sure what he had expected of the police either. Most television shows showed the stations as dark, gritty places filled criminals waiting for booking, and very bad coffee. This building was clean, with simple white walls and the occasional warm wood accent. The officers did not look harried or worn down at all. Once again human media was full of lies. He liked it better this way. 

          Maddie walked up to the front desk, her attempt at a smile turning to a cringe as her cheek throbbed. Yeah, it was definitely more than bruised. “Um….hi. I’d like to report an assault.”

          The officer at the front desk slid a cautious glance towards Papyrus. “Is he--”

          “My friend. He saved my life tonight.”

          “I WAS VERY LUCKY TO HAVE REACHED MY FRIEND IN TIME.” Papyrus told them. Then with a winning smile, he placed the twisted remains of what had once been V’s gun upon the reception desk. “SHE ALSO SAID THAT YOU MIGHT LIKE TO HAVE THIS, AND THAT IT MIGHT LEAD YOU TO THE CRIMINALS WHO ATTACKED HER.”

          That definitely caught his attention. “Ah---yeah. Let’s--let’s find a place to sit down and uh….we’ll get you some coffee and you and your...friend here...can tell us what happened.”

          The officer, who introduced himself as Jenkins, led then down the hall to a small room that was home to a little keurig machine, a mini fridge, and a surprisingly comfortable dark blue couch. He had her stand in front of the plain white walls and used a small digital camera to take picture of her injuries. Her face had certainly gotten the worst of it. Already a deep purple bruise had spread over the left side of her face and a cut over her cheekbone bled sluggishly. Her ribs were bruised as well, her knuckles bruised and scraped from the fight.

          “Is there anything I can get for you before we get started?” He asked, setting up a small recorder on the coffee table. “We’ve got some water in the fridge if you’d like. Or an ice pack?”

          “Oh God, please ice pack.” Maddie sighed, sinking onto the couch. It hurt to talk at this point and she knew she wouldn’t be able to get through this without something to numb the pain. Probably should have gone to the hospital first… At least Papyrus had called Sans while they were driving over and let him know what happened, so Sans wouldn’t be running around every hospital in the city looking for them.

          Jenkins returned a few moments later with an ice pack wrapped in a clean white tea towel. Maddie accepted it gratefully, pressing it to her cheek with a low sigh of relief.

          “Now then, why don’t you tell me what happened?”

          Maddie started to explain but her injuries made it difficult to speak.

          “HUMAN, ARE YOU SURE YOU DO NOT WISH TO SEE A HEALER, OR AT LEAST HAVE SOME MONSTER CANDY? YOUR FACE LOOKS VERY PAINFUL.” Papyrus asked with a frown of concern.

          “Monster...what?” How was candy supposed to help?

          “It restores HP,” Maddie explained shortly, trying to move her mouth as little as possible. “Sort of...heals and restores energy.” And God, could she use it right now. “Sorry, is...that okay? It really hurts to talk right now. Or I could...just write down what happened?”

          Jenkins hesitated. Technically he shouldn’t allow it. The use of magic was still illegal, but the girl was had clearly had a rough night and… well he already had the pictures for evidence. “Would it heal all of your injuries?” It would be very hard to prove a case of assault if there was no remaining visual evidence, even if he already did have the photographs.

          Papyrus shook his head. “MONSTER CANDY IS NOT SO POWERFUL, BUT IT WILL HEAL HER ENOUGH THAT SHE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SPEAK WITHOUT PAIN.”

          He still really shouldn’t allow it but… “The law does prohibit the use of magic, however… there are no such laws against eating candy.”

          Maddie let out a sigh of relief, gratefully accepting the small wrapped bonbon that Papyrus pulled from his pocket. Within moments she could feel the swelling in her face go down, the blinding ache fading to a dull throb.

          Officer Jenkins watched the process with curious eyes, stunned as he saw the cut on her cheek scab over, the violent purple of the bruising fading slightly. It was still very much evident that she had taken a beating, but her injuries now looked to be at least a couple of days old instead of a couple of hours.

          It took a moment for him to collect himself enough to turn on the recorder and begin his questioning. “You said your friend here saved your life tonight. Do you think you could walk me through what happened?”

          Maddie took a steadying breath, then nodded. It was best, she thought, to start from the beginning, when she had left the gym.

          Jenkins’ gaze did not leave her face as she spoke, only speaking up himself when he wanted to clarify the details of her statement. He seemed surprised that she would wade into an obviously dangerous situation for someone she didn’t even know. “And you hit him first?”

          Maddie nodded, knowing she was probably kissing her self-defence claim goodbye. “He grabbed my bag and I knew if he had the chance to hit first I probably wouldn’t be getting up. I’d hoped that would distract them long enough so I could run but...well, as you might have noticed, I wasn’t that lucky.”

          “And you decided to get involved anyway.”

          “I couldn’t just let them hurt that poor Temmie,” she insisted. “What would you have done?”

          “I’m a police officer,” the man pointed out. “I have the training to handle incidents like that.”

          “So what was I supposed to do? Just stand back and watch?”

          “You could have called for help.”

          “I could have,” Maddie conceded. “And what might have happened to Temmie if I had? Do you really think that V was going to stop at just crowding them?” Did Temmie have a gender? She had no idea so she was just going to stick to ‘they/them’ pronouns.

          “V?” The officer questioned.

          “That’s how I’ve been referring to one of them in my head. The first time I saw him, he was wearing a Guy Fawkes mask. You know, like the  _ V for Vendetta _ comics.”

          Jenkins sat up a little straighter, frowning with interest. “You’ve met this man before?”

          She nodded. “Yeah….” She sighed, and proceeded to give him a run-down of their brief encounter on Halloween.

          When she was finished Jenkins sighed, leaning back in his chair and running one hand distractedly through his already-disheveled brown curls. So much for the quiet shift he had been hoping for. Bad enough that there was yet another roving gang out there harassing Monsters, but going after the Ambassador and attempted murder on top of that? This one was going to take some delicate handling. He’d start making inquiries at the local hospitals. From the sound of it, the girl had broken the nose of one of the men and maybe cracked the ribs of another. It sounded like this V character was the ringleader, so if they could find his lackeys, they might lead them straight to him.

          “You’re a brave woman, Miss Taylor. Not everyone would step in like you did.”

          “I’m just glad I got there when I did. I hope Temmie got home okay.”

          The officer paused. “Sorry, is Temmie a type of Monster, or their name?”

          “Both.”

          “The Temmie… is named Temmie.” Well, that was going to make it fun to find witnesses to corroborate her story.

          “OH YES,” Papyrus nodded. “ALL TEMMIE ARE NAMED TEMMIE.” Except for the one, but there was no need to puzzle the kind police officer any further.

          “Ah… okay.” Because that wasn’t at all confusing.

          “Um...officer?” Maddie interjected hesitantly. “I’ve got to ask… Am I going to be charged with assault?”

          He blinked at her. “Pardon?”

          She gripped the front of the chair with white-knuckled fingers. “I hit him first, so… it makes it kind of hard to claim self-defense, doesn’t it?”

          Jenkins eyed her quietly, then slouched forward in his chair, bracing his elbows on his knees. “I’m not going to lie to you, it does complicate things a bit. But let me ask you this: did you walk across that street looking for a fight?”

          Maddie shook her head.

          “Did you want to hurt them?”

          “I...No. Yes. Maybe,” she admitted. “A little. When I saw what they were doing I got so mad, but... I didn’t want to fight anyone, I never have. But I couldn’t just do nothing and I knew they weren’t going to let me walk away so when he grabbed my jacket…”

          “You were afraid they were going to hurt you.”

          Maddie nodded. “It wouldn’t be the first time.”

          “You were outnumbered three-to-one, one of whom already had a history of violence towards you. Under the circumstances, I believe you do have reasonable grounds for self-defense,” he told her. “You may have hit him first, but in grabbing you he was the one who made the first move.”

          Maddie sighed, slouching back against the couch and resting her head against the wall. “Okay… Okay.” So she probably wasn’t going to go to jail for defending herself. That was a relief. “Is there anything else you need from me, for my statement or anything?”

          “I’d like to make an appointment with the two of you to work with a sketch artist. The sooner we can identify the men who attacked you, the better.”

          “Ah, tomorrow maybe?” After a long, long sleep-in. “Papyrus, that work for you?”

          “PERHAPS BEFORE LUNCH,” Papyrus suggested. “WE MAY BRING SOME COFFEE FOR OUR NEW POLICE FRIEND.”

          “Oh no, you don’t have to --”

          “OH NO, I INSIST. YOUR COFFEE IN THE LITTLE PODS IS MUCH BETTER THAN I EXPECTED BUT YOU WORK VERY HARD AND I AM VERY GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR HELPING MY FRIEND, AND I WOULD BE REMISS IN MY DUTIES AS A FORMER GUARDSMAN TO NOT SHOW MY APPRECIATION.”

          “Ah… you were a guardsman?” 

          “WELL...I HAD NOT YET COMPLETED MY TRAINING,” Papyrus confessed. “BUT UNDYNE WAS VERY PLEASED WITH MY PROGRESS.”

          “Papyrus was the one who taught me how to fight,” Maddie explained as they all stood up. “I wouldn’t have lasted a minute without his training.”

          Officer Jenkins glanced at Papyrus with renewed respect. “Looks like you had a good teacher.”

          “The best,” Maddie smiled, and watched a subtle orange blush of pride rise in her friend’s cheeks.

          “I’ll submit the weapon you brought in to the lab,” Jenkins continued. “It may be a pretzel now but the serial number should still be intact. With any luck, this V character had it registered, and we can figure out who he really is.”

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there ends Chapter 10! 
> 
> We've learned some more about one of our characters, and we are finally getting into our real plot!
> 
> What do you think will happen next? Will V and his cronies be caught? What will happen with Flowey? 
> 
> Stay tuned to find out!


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